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the collective musings of an average everyday sane psycho supergodTue, 12 Sep 2017 14:44:21 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://s2.wp.com/i/buttonw-com.pngBrent Of The Fabulous Wildhttps://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com
What If A SAGA Film Adaptation Actually Happens? Consider This Dream Fan Castinghttps://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2016/08/23/what-if-a-saga-film-adaptation-actually-happens-consider-this-dream-fan-casting/
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Since its momentous debut back in March 2012, the visionary brainchild of writer Brian K. Vaughan and artist Fiona Staples has been hailed by both critics and fans as a game-changer in the field of comics. I am, of course, talking about none other than SAGA. Today, you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t consider SAGA as part of their regular pull lists or the hordes of newly converted fans declaring this ongoing series as their gateway drug into comic books and graphic novels. Indeed, the fandom for this incredible title has seen thousands—if not millions—of devotees from all over the world and only recently did Vaughan and Staples gave their blessing towards the opening of an online store where people could buy official merchandise based on their work, such as a large plush toy of fan favorite, Lying Cat.

But despite the overwhelming amount of praise heaped upon SAGA, the creators have gone on record several times that while they are open to the possibility of having their seminal work adapted into film or television, it was never created for such an intention and nor is it a priority of theirs. Understandably, some (if not most) fans were completely heartbroken at having to contend with only a comic format with which to enjoy this beloved modern classic of the space opera genre. From a visual and storytelling perspective, SAGA is a prime candidate for a major blockbuster production that could rival either Game of Thrones or anything pulled from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, with SAGA being released under publisher Image Comics where comic creators hold full copyrights to their work, fans could only wait with bated breath until such time that Vaughan and Staples will ultimately relent and give the green light for Hollywood to make an adaptation that is truly worthy of the source material.

Hypothetically speaking, the idea might sound good on paper though perhaps a huge point of contention should a SAGA movie adaptation come into fruition would be the casting. We are now living in a time where diversity in media is being consistently demanded by discerning audiences despite Hollywood still making glaring missteps in that regard. Racial bias against actors of color and underrepresentation of women and LGBT individuals are hot button topics that almost always become watercooler discussions every time the casting of a big film or TV production is announced. Any SAGA fan worth their salt knows for a fact that the comic series is filled with characters that appear visually diverse in terms of race and gender despite the setting being in a fictional extraterrestrial galaxy. Both Vaughan and Staples were conscious of reflecting the current social climate of the real world so that readers of various demographics could relate to any character featured in their astonishing pages.

So until such time that hardcore fans such as myself will receive confirmation of a future SAGA debut on the big screen or on the boob tube, we shall only remain in blissful “what if” scenarios in our wild imaginations. That being said, I have taken the liberty of acting as an imaginary casting director for a potential SAGA film franchise, where I took great measures to make this both a dream cast filled with great talents while also fulfilling the demand for diversity and representation of minorities. And a little disclaimer (plus a minor spoiler alert): my dream fan casting selections were based on the characters still written as alive and kicking by the end of the sixth story arc. So without further ado, here are my top choices for the current cast of characters still featured within the pages of this great comic book.

Zoe Saldana as ALANA

Given that she has played both a blue and a green alien in two separate film franchises—that would be Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy to you, dear reader—with both characters being strong and independent females, it seems like a no-brainer that a big name like Zoe Saldana should step in to bring the plucky and resourceful protagonist character of Alana to life. Hailing from the planet Landfall, it’s easy enough to imagine the actress sporting her unique insect-like wings while still retaining her natural skin color unlike her previous iterations as a resident of Pandora and as the last of her kind from Zen-Whoberi. It also helps that Saldana is no stranger to the storyline of two different galactic races in conflict and falling in forbidden love in the midst of a violent war. Let’s also not forget that Saldana knows more than a thing or two about being in a sci-fi film since she’s also in the Star Trek reboot.

Daniel Henney as MARKO

Staples has mentioned on her personal Tumblr blog that she used East Asian male models and actors as a point of reference in the creation of Marko and it is still subtly apparent even though there is no clear racial markers indicative of his inspirational heritage. Therefore, model and actor Daniel Henney seems like the perfect candidate to portray Alana’s significant other from Landfall’s moon, Wreath. The actor’s striking good looks can be attributed to his Korean, Irish, and American ancestry, which fits rather well with the general aesthetics of Marko. And while his acting credits have been limited to supporting roles in Korean and American TV productions, a high-profile casting coup like SAGA could potentially catapult him into A-list status while also proudly waving the flag for Asian American actors fighting to be represented in leading roles not mired in stereotypes.

Aubrey Anderson-Emmons as HAZEL

The most prominent role to date of child actress Aubrey Anderson-Emmons is her sassy, sarcastic, and precocious turn as Lily Tucker-Pritchett in the ensemble comedy, Modern Family. Now that Hazel has entered her early childhood years and slowly learning about the harsh realities of the universe she was born into, it takes an equally gutsy performer who can hold her own against a group of mostly grown-up actors and Anderson-Emmons has proven her chops with her Modern Family cast mates. And while the overall tone and imagery of SAGA may be very graphic and mature in nature, I have no doubt that this charming young lady will blaze through the role of Hazel without even batting an eyelash at the gruesome imagery and adult language that the comic is definitely known for.

Ming-Na Wen as KLARA

Thinking about an actress who could embody a badass horned matriarch and who is also a former soldier of Wreath immediately made me think of Ming-Na Wen as the logical choice to play Klara. As the mother of Marko, mother-in-law to Alana, and grandmother to Hazel, she juggles a lot of familial responsibilities which ultimately makes for a truly compelling character. Fierce and determined, Wen can surely carry this role with aplomb as she has seen her fair share of balancing nuanced dramatic roles and tough characters who kick butt in the process. Audiences may know Wen for her voice work in Disney’s Mulan where she played the title role, and most recently as Agent Melinda May in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. And if a SAGA movie were to become a reality, Wen would surely give Klara justice and prove the naysayers wrong.

Ellen Page as IZABEL

The character may be a magenta-hued alien ghost without any legs, but Izabel has been an instant hit the second she appeared in the very first story arc of the series and allied herself with the forbidden family on the run. The eventual revelation that she had a lesbian relationship before she died means this is an opportunity for an openly queer actress to take on this extraterrestrial specter. Ellen Page may not be a teenager anymore, but her style and personality meshes quite well with Izabel’s own persona, and not to mention that the character might probably be rendered as a motion capture performance if presented with a live action adaptation. SAGA is already weird in itself, so it should not come as a shock to anyone that a lesbian actress should tackle a shapeshifting babysitter ghost who is also a lesbian.

Michael Fassbender as PRINCE/SIR ROBOT IV

I have to confess that a large part of this fan casting decision stems from Michael Fassbender’s eccentric turn in the indie comedy Frank, where he played the titular character while wearing a giant papier-mâché head. What was amazing about that part was that the devastatingly handsome Irish actor with the signature shark grin managed to convey so much through his speech and body language—all without even revealing his emotions which are often expressed through visible facial expressions. Oh, and he also played a certain damaged royal from the hallowed annals of Shakespeare (read: Macbeth). The combination of those two distinct roles made for a deliciously demented mashup. Just picture Fassbender with a TV head and inhabiting the multifaceted regal nature of Prince/Sir Robot IV. Now that the image is seared into your neurons, you probably can’t imagine anyone else getting the role now, can you?

Jacob Tremblay as SQUIRE

Despite being officially introduced as an infant during the fourth volume, it was truly surprising for most SAGA fans that the future heir to the Robot Kingdom has grown up significantly by the time readers have reached the sixth story arc. Now a young boy who may or may not be in the same age range as Hazel or Sophie, Squire is shaping up to potentially become a key player in the grand scheme of Vaughan’s story. Luckily, only one child actor came to mind when I thought about a singular individual that could possibly portray Squire in his current incarnation. If anyone has seen the emotionally shattering indie drama Room, then you should know that the super adorable and talented newcomer Jacob Tremblay has what it takes to deal with an overly protective parent that has suffered through so much physical and psychological abuse.

Chris Hemsworth as THE WILL

SAGA is rife with so much flawed characters that everyone—yes, including our beloved protagonist couple—has some serious issues going on with them. And everyone’s favorite Freelancer is no exception to having major shit to deal with the second he accepted that fateful assignment to take out Marko and Alana. And while most people might associate him as a good guy Asgardian superhero, Chris Hemsworth would do well to branch out in a more prominently antagonistic role as The Will. This gives the Australian actor the chance to flex his dramatic muscles (apart from Rush and In the Heart of the Sea) considering how The Will has changed so far from a psychological and emotional perspective. And given his shocking comeback in Volume 6, it would be a pleasant change of pace to see the normally beefy Hemsworth actually pack on a lot of pounds while still managing to be just as menacing.

Lupita Nyong’o as GWENDOLYN

Fans of recently minted Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o were justifiably disappointed to discover that her big roles after winning her Oscar were for voice or motion capture performances and not live action. Even I asked myself, “Why is Hollywood trying to hide the gorgeousness of this amazingly talented and beautiful woman?” Nyong’o deserves to be seen from behind the trappings of CGI characters like Maz Kanata from the new Star Wars trilogy and Raksha from the live action version of The jungle Book. She could truly break through if Nyong’o was cast as government-bureaucrat-turned-pseudo-bounty-hunter Gwendolyn. It’s literally a perfect casting match, and the fact that Nyong’o has never once played a character that has antagonistic leanings. Call me crazy, but fans deserve a Gwendolyn who not only looks the part right down to her stylish white ensemble, but actually has the talent to prove that the all of the acting awards she won wasn’t just a one-time fluke.

Quvenzhané Wallis as SOPHIE

From being a liberated underage sex slave imprisoned on Sextillion to becoming Gwendolyn’s duly sanctioned Page, this young girl from the comet Phang has certainly been through a lot after six successive story arcs in the series. Although we do not know of her real birth name (well, not yet, anyway), The Will has decided to rechristen this particular girl as Sophie. As the oldest of the three main child characters featured so far in SAGA, it seems appropriate that the role should go to the immensely brilliant Quvenzhané Wallis. With the actress now in her tween years just like Sophie probably is by now, it seems like only yesterday that Wallis made history as the youngest ever Best Actress nominee at the Oscars for her ferociously magnetic role as Hushpuppy Doucet in Beasts of the Southern Wild. A minor difference in skin color aside, Wallis is likely to crush it as Sophie if given the chance.

Jennifer Lawrence as the voice of LYING CAT

Okay, hear me out on this one: Jennifer Lawrence will do for Lying Cat in a possible SAGA adaptation what Vin Diesel did for Groot in Guardians of the Galaxy. And when you think about it, it is kind of funny that the current biggest female movie star on the planet with immense star power to draw crowds if she stars in a tentpole production will be simply voicing an alien feline sidekick who can only say one word and who also happens to be a living bullshit detector. That, and how Lying Cat tends to purr, growl, and hiss a lot apart from speaking the word “Lying”. And to be fair, Lawrence does have this naturally low, husky, yet seductive feminine voice which is how I imagined Lying Cat would sound every time she uttered her famous word on the page. Plus, the fandom crossover potential would be insane because I mean, come on: Mystique transforming into a giant blue talking cat? Sign me up for that one, please!

Chris Pratt as the voice of GHÜS

Since his iconic debut happily guiding Friendo on the gray landscape of Quietus, the animal herder named Ghüs sporting those adorable yellow overalls resonated so deeply with SAGA readers and immediately became an instant fan favorite upon first sight. I think most everyone is in agreement that if Vaughan and Staples were to kill him off, every single one of us would probably riot in the streets. A delightfully charming character like Ghüs needs an equally charismatic actor to bring him to life via voice performance since him and Lying Cat will most likely be visually rendered in CGI a la Richard Parker from Life of Pi. Chris Pratt can easily conjure up a Southern drawl which I imagine Ghüs’s accent to be every time he speaks. Also, Pratt has exceptional comedic timing which is perfect for a character like Ghüs.

Rami Malek as UPSHER

Although he may have already received his major breakout role on television, it certainly wouldn’t hurt if a gorgeous and talented actor like Rami Malek would take on the character of Upsher in the cinematic version of SAGA. After years of landing supporting roles in film and television (past credits include The Pacific, Short Term 12, and the Night at the Museum movies), Malek has broken out of the mold by landing a coveted leading role in a well-produced and Emmy-nominated TV show. As a brilliant computer hacker suffering from depression, anxiety, and dissociative identity disorder, Malek truly shines as Elliot Alderson in the techno thriller Mr. Robot. And although Upsher is not a hacker by any means, he shares a similar drive with Malek’s TV character for investigating really juicy stories that can potentially have damaging consequences if exposed to the general public. Plus, it also helps that Malek has the physical features needed to portray Upsher, right down to that slim and tall build, those high cheekbones, and that striking hairstyle.

Oscar Isaac as DOFF

I thought long and hard about who would look really good standing next to Rami Malek’s Upsher aside from being ridiculously talented at acting, and it hit me that Oscar Isaac would be such a perfect fit to play Doff. The fact that both men are handsome actors of color (Malek is of Egyptian heritage, Isaac is of Guatemalan descent) is just the icing on top of my dream fan casting cake! His trajectory to stardom ultimately came from starring in critically acclaimed indie productions like Inside Llewyn Davis and A Most Violent Year, where he nabbed the lead roles in both films. Isaac is also quite good even when cast in ensemble films as evidenced by his role as Poe Dameron in the current iteration of the Star Wars franchise. And given his deliciously bro-mantic chemistry with Star Wars co-star John Boyega, it’s really not that hard to picture Isaac as the cautious but passionate photojournalist from Jetsam getting his sexy alien freak on with Malek in an obviously R-rated SAGA adaptation.

Jamie Clayton as PETRICHOR

While gay, lesbian, and bisexual people are now quite commonplace in the entertainment industry, it still rather hurts to see that the T part in LGBT is still fighting for wider representation in media. Very rarely do real transgender actors and actresses get the spotlight since most fictional trans roles for TV and film written in the past and even today are still played by heterosexual and cisgendered actors. This is a total shame considering that transgender performers should have the rights and the opportunities to play roles they can relate to on a personal level. That is why it is only fair that Jamie Clayton is the right choice to portray the character of Petrichor. As a trans woman in real life who also plays a fictional trans woman in the Netflix sci-fi series Sense8, Clayton has the perfect gamine physique to pull off Petrichor’s exotic appearance, as well as the acting chops needed to portray the newly inducted member of Marko and Alana’s runaway intergalactic family.

BONUS FAN CASTING! FOR THE DEARLY DEPARTED…

Abbey Lee as THE STALK

Where You Might Have Seen Her: The Dag in Mad Max: Fury Road and Sarah in The Neon Demon

Why She Would Slay the Role: The Australian high fashion supermodel turned actress cuts a striking figure from head to toe. And as evidenced by her previous film appearances, Lee has this ethereal presence that could turn deadly at the blink of an eye—something that I believe The Stalk also possesses.

Sir Ben Kingsley as BARR

Where You Might Have Seen Him: Mahatma Gandhi in Gandhi and Trevor Slattery in Iron Man 3

Why He Would Slay the Role: The knighted English actor with Indian heritage has an illustrious career spanning several decades and consistently strikes a commanding onscreen presence whether he plays an antagonist or protagonist. That is why Kingsley is pitch perfect for helming the role of Barr.

Tilda Swinton as THE BRAND

Where You Might Have Seen Her: Jadis the White Witch in The Chronicles of Narnia films and Gabriel in Constantine

Why She Would Slay the Role: With her otherworldly androgynous features and uncanny ability to physically transform herself in every role, the eccentric Scottish scene-stealing actress would surely impress greatly as The Brand. It also helps that Swinton looks insanely fantastic wearing menswear, too.

Morgan Freeman as D. OSWALD HEIST

Where You Might Have Seen Him: God in Bruce Almighty and Lucius Fox in The Dark Knight trilogy

Why He Would Slay the Role: The renowned American actor with his signature voice was my one and only choice for the role of D. Oswald Heist—the cyclopean recluse writer whose book brought Marko and Alana together. And any movie where you hear Freeman speak is just made of awesomeness.

Viola Davis as YUMA

Where You Might Have Seen Her: Aibileen Clark in The Help and Annalise Keating in How to Get Away with Murder

Why She Would Slay the Role: From film to television and the theater stage, there is nothing that this intrepid American actress can’t do. And with her level of fearlessness for portraying imperfect and complex characters, Davis would surely hit it right out of the park as the artistic drug junkie Yuma.

Idris Elba as DENGO

Where You Might Have Seen Him: Stacker Pentecost in Pacific Rim and The Commandant in Beasts of No Nation

Why He Would Slay the Role: The sexy and incredibly talented English actor boasts an impressive acting repertoire that cuts across all film and television genres. And with Elba’s knack for fleshing out truly multifarious antagonists, he would have no problem handling renegade Robot janitor Dengo.

I remember back in my senior year of high school, our teacher made us do this project in our Arts class (what is now known in the current K-12 curriculum as MAPEH—Music, Arts, P.E., Health) where we had to create our very own wedding invitation. You know, the really fancy kind you often get in the mail when a friend or relative gets married: the promise of a romantic event made out of premium card stock or parchment and flourished with intricate design details such as embossed letters or digitally printed photographs of the bride and groom. If the couple had money to burn, you’d often get an invitation that was even made out of even more expensive materials than just plain printed card stock. Immediately after our teacher presented us with the details of our art project, I never once hesitated that my wedding invitation would feature my name next to another boy’s name.

A disclaimer before I continue with this anecdote: I have always been aware of my sexuality from a young age that I did not need to “come out” in a traditional sense to my friends and family, and thus, I was largely accepted for being true to my queer roots. And though attending a private school with a zero-tolerance policy against discrimination would be considered an advantage, there was always that petty undercurrent of ridicule spoken behind my back due to my extroverted nature. That being said, I worked hard to make my invitation the best it could possibly be; a competitive edge driving me to make sure that my “gay wedding invite” would surpass that of my heterosexual classmates. I submitted the finished product to my teacher where—to my slight surprise—she never batted an eyelash nor did she voice out any homophobic remark upon seeing that the person whom I was “to marry” in the invitation was a boy’s name. For that month’s art project, I received one of the highest marks in class.

Years after that indelible memory, I would come to grow up and face an era where gay marriage was no longer an impossible dream, but a tangible reality that someone like me could one day attain with the right man. Sadly, living in a country like the Philippines has largely prevented me from achieving the kind of happiness that many gay men and women in North America and Europe have experienced in recent years. But the meteoric rise of the internet and social media in the past decade has been crucial in keeping me well-informed of any and all news and issues concerning LGBT topics, which was instrumental in educating me that the world beyond the archipelago I lived in showed me that being gay is okay and that it was possible for me to get the civil and human rights afforded to straight people.

But despite such rainbow-colored optimism flaunted in many LGBT-friendly places, I am not that naïve to think that the community I belong to still doesn’t face negative judgment in various levels. Countries like Russia and Uganda both have a horrifying stance against homosexuals—too often based on ultra-conservative religious principles—that often becomes violent. LGBT people don’t even stand a chance if they live in the Middle East, where at the very worst, an extremist terrorist group would gladly execute gay men on camera and proudly defend their actions to the world disturbed by such blatant inhumanity. And even in highly developed countries like the United States, there is still so much hatred by Americans of different shades and shapes towards gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people that the Supreme Court’s monumental decision to approve same-sex marriage in June 2015 feels like a feeble triumph of a small battle in an epic war that has yet to be fully won.

From my perspective, the Philippines at large has largely been tolerant of the gay population. Emphasis on the operative word ‘tolerant’ because to use the term ‘accepting’ would be pushing it too far considering the social climate of this country. Granted, the LGBT minority of this country may not face the ruthless kind of persecution that other nations in the world exact upon their homosexual citizens, but we are still facing problematic issues that need to be addressed now that we are in a time where gay rights is a hot-button global concern not just for the everyday populace, but for the leaders of church and state trying to wrap their heads around the fact that gay men and women desire to have the civil rights so easily bestowed to the straight majority. This brings me now to the recent trainwreck surrounding Manny Pacquiao and his controversial statements against the gay community in general.

At this point, I’m sure I don’t need to rehash the sordid details of how he essentially compared same-sex unions being “worse than animals”. Nor do I need to recount the swift backlash he immediately received in the media upon uttering those comments. But what unsettles me deeply is the fact that someone like him—a high-profile individual in a position of power—is running for public office and preaching antiquated beliefs based on religion; beliefs that, whichever way you look at it, ultimately places the Filipino LGBT population at a social disadvantage. The fact that his supporters are defending his convictions gives a startling implication that they are enabling Pacquiao to dismiss our human rights and our identity as queer individuals. The firestorm surrounding this controversy has been nothing short of incendiary on all sides as I scroll through the news feed of my Facebook account and I often find myself wondering these things where the answers are just as elusive:

Are there really so many few and genuine straight allies on my Facebook that they’re the only ones condemning the tactlessness of Pacquiao aside from my LGBT brothers and sisters?

Are the religious and/or political conservatives really that ignorant about what we in the LGBT community strive to achieve when we say we want to get married and receive equal rights?

Why is there a sizable contingent of Facebook users telling everyone to “move on from this issue”/”live and let live”/”let’s just all get along” when these are just pathetic euphemisms that LGBT concerns should just be swept under the rug and never to be prioritized in favor of more lighthearted topics?

Do you mean to tell me that it’s only the intellectuals and well-read individuals who are fully aware of the stark differences between gender identity and sexual preferences?

And because this year happens to be an election year, will the political candidates exploit the faux pas catalyzed by Pacquiao in order to pander to the bruised dignities of the LGBT Filipinos as spearheaded by the likes of Boy Abunda and Vice Ganda?

And on that note, will this conversation about LGBT issues in the Philippines fade or sustain long after the votes have been cast?

Questions upon questions keep piling on top of one another as I’ve read status updates and post comments giving their two cents on the aftermath of Pacquiao’s fall from our gay graces. One thing I am not ashamed to admit is the sense of schadenfreude I relished deeply upon seeing the flames surrounding the beleaguered Filipino boxer burn hotter with every passing minute since he uttered those fatal words against the LGBT population. I am not going to apologize for indulging in such emotions, nor will I remain quiet about this particular issue because it’s high time that everyone is reminded that me and everyone else in the Philippines who identifies as gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender have been living under the rule of straight privilege chiefly defined by centuries of upholding an attitude of patriarchal machismo and underscored by literal interpretations of Catholic dogma.

I cannot in my deepest and gayest conscience respect anyone that undermines my identity as a human being, especially if that person is clearly in a position of power and not using his influence to teach the audience at large that love and acceptance—not bigotry and mere tolerance—transcends above all and showing the world that we can be just as progressive as those countries who value their gay population. Instead, I am presented with Manny Pacquiao; admittedly a proven star athlete who has brought recognition to this country for being talented in a particularly popular contact sport but outside of the boxing ring leaves very little to be desired if gender politics is concerned. What Pacquiao and the rest of his predominantly heterosexual vocal supporters don’t realize is that they are abusing their straight privilege right in front of our faces and they expect us to just sit there and be passive observers while they enjoy the benefits of civil rights that they think we do not deserve.

Yes, people: straight privilege is a real thing that exists and it’s something I will not tolerate. You may not notice it at first glance, but it is right there in plain sight if you open your eyes and look closely at the details. It’s there when a straight teenage girl gets a gay best friend but only treats him as some sort of “fabulous accessory” and not as an equal to share her darkest fears, her fragile hopes, and her brightest dreams; it’s there when a bunch of straight twenty-something men drinking on a weekend joke around in the club and say “Dude, no homo!” whenever one of them does something even remotely gay in their actions like an innocent touch on another’s arm; it’s there when a mother scolds her young son publicly for choosing a pink-colored toy in a store and forces a blue-tinted toy in his hands instead because, as she firmly believes, “pink is for girls and blue is for boys”; it’s there when you overhear your friend say “Oh my God, that’s so gay!” as a casual insult and you are literally within earshot; it’s there when people applaud and cheer at transgender beauty pageants but could care less about the violence inflicted upon trans women by their abusive lovers, both foreign and local. Straight privilege in the Philippines is, quite frankly, a pestilent infestation on mainstream society and whose victims are the LGBT Filipinos quietly suffering from the disease spread by heterosexuals ignorant or blind to our plight. We aren’t asking for much, but for the simple demand of respect, representation, and rights owing to the fact that straight people in general do not know what it is like for someone who identifies under the LGBT umbrella.

They don’t know what it’s like for so many gay sons in ultra-conservative families still trapped in the closet and forever forced to live a life that is essentially depriving them of their true identity. They don’t know what it’s like for the several lesbian daughters out there traumatized from being raped by a man under the very orders of their own families, thinking that being sexually assaulted by a man will turn them back to being a “normal woman”. They don’t know what it’s like for the hordes of bisexuals out there being publicly ostracized in a narrow-minded society because they can go both ways and not just stick to one sexual preference. They most certainly don’t know what it’s like for the countless transgender men and women out there having to deal with mental and emotional anguish (as well as threats of murder) all because they do not identify with the biological body they have been born with. And also, they definitely don’t know what it’s like for the asexuals having to constantly deal with their obliviousness and prejudice because they cannot comprehend that there is such a thing as people not being sexually or romantically attracted to another person. Because God forbid that gay people only serve as functional stereotypes in the rose-colored lives of straight people but when those rose-colored glasses are removed from their eyes, they would rather see things in black and white than let us exercise and enjoy the very rights they have been taking for granted since time immemorial.

Usually, when school projects are submitted to the teacher, students don’t often get them back. But in the case of my gay wedding invitation—a flamboyant and fragrant display of a scented candle swathed in lavender tulle and ribbon with the text printed on expensive parchment paper—I managed to steal it back from my art teacher by purloining it from her cabinet months after it was handed over so I can bring it back home. I remember the feeling of hope as I unfurled the scroll of creamy parchment paper from its soft tulle nest and holding in my hands the possibility that one day, something I created in art class could be a real thing that I could send to my friends and family so they would come and celebrate that special occasion with me. But if people like Manny Pacquiao continues to be venerated by the Filipino masses despite his beliefs that are as archaic as the holy book he purportedly reads every day, then I’m afraid that hope would be nothing more than a dream transformed into a nightmare that I will share with my LGBT brothers and sisters whose basic human rights continue to be diminished with every passing year that political and religious leaders continues to ignore our very existence.

So in the words of our most sacred Queen Bey—herself in the midst of an ongoing hot topic regarding race relations in the United States—I implore and urge my fellow LGBT peers and sincere straight allies to get in formation and continue to fight the good fight against this malignant injustice towards the Filipino gay community until we reach the moment where equal rights truly means equality for all the citizens of the Philippines and not just exclusively for her straight constituents.

]]>https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2016/02/18/lgbt-its-definitely-not-more-fun-in-the-philippines/feed/0besarza36011540906_10205768255237069_2179625264073330948_n11425148_10205739661602246_867103682985830372_o11230851_10205939012625897_7607080770670721673_nBrent 360’s Best In Film Of 2015https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2015/12/27/brent-360s-best-in-film-of-2015/
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If there was one confidently sure thing that defined the films I had the privilege of seeing this year, it would certainly be the spirit of diversity and creativity that made each of the selections on my annual shortlist distinctive in their unique cinematic way. Curiously enough, the fifteen films that comprise my list this year were evenly divided into five key film genres: comedies, documentaries, animation, indies, and blockbusters. This is perhaps a serendipitous sign that regardless of their silver screen pedigree, the illustrious crop of films below represent a positive step forward in the right direction as far as the future of filmmaking is concerned, and that there will always be something for everyone. From massive tentpole crowd-pleasers to critically-approved arthouse works, may you find something to discover and enjoy in my list of the Best In Film Of 2015.

COMEDIES

From top to bottom: Amy Schumer and Bill Hader seated courtside on an NBA game in “Trainwreck”, Greta Gerwig surrounded by a motley crew of comedic characters in “Mistress America”, Claire McNulty and Bridey Eliot go thrift store shopping in “Fort Tilden”.

TRAINWRECK

A brilliant and hilarious subversion of so many romantic comedy movies, Trainwreck is a refreshing take on the man-child-meets-serious-girl trope, only this time the “irresponsible and promiscuous man-child” is portrayed by a pitch-perfect Amy Schumer and the “ready to settle down career woman” is played with surprising sensitivity by SNL alum Bill Hader. Packed with spot-on laughs and featuring an oddball mix of supporting characters—i.e. John Cena as an emotionally insightful bodybuilder paramour and Tilda Swinton as an overly bronzed and brassy magazine editrix—this film is proof for all the hopeless romantics out there that it’s not always the men who are the hot messes in a boy-meets-girl scenario.

MISTRESS AMERICA

When art imitates life, the results never fall in a liminal grey area but often land in a field of extremes. Mistress America is a laugh-out-loud exploration of the consequences that happen if a person’s life unknowingly becomes the inspiration for a work of fiction. Indie comedy queen Greta Gerwig adroitly retools the character she portrayed in Frances Ha into a new incarnation of a financially struggling NYC girl-about-town who inspires newcomer Lola Kirke into writing a short story based on Gerwig’s creative yet carefree persona. Packed with whip-smart dialogue and a farcical third act that is worth the price of admission, this is a can’t-miss film for those seeking a smartly written and skillfully performed comedy film.

FORT TILDEN

It’s actually a wonderful blessing to realize that all of the comedy films that made my annual shortlist for 2015 were all headlined by women, and Fort Tilden is no exception. While this pick is a little more obscure than the first two selections, its comedic radiance certainly cannot be denied. Presented as a sharp yet scathing satire on pretentious Brooklyn hipsters with a privileged background, this film doesn’t hold back on skewering the lifestyles of jaded Caucasian hipsters while also examining the caustic and passive-aggressive dynamics of female friendship as showcased by indie ingénues Bridey Eliot and Claire McNulty. If you’re into the idea of seeing a hot mess of a road trip by two clueless hipster girls, then this one’s for you.

DOCUMENTARIES

From top to bottom: Iris Apfel striking a pose for a photo shoot in “Iris”, Mark Reay sitting in his makeshift shelter on a rooftop building in “Homme Less”, the six Angulo Brothers eating dinner and watching a movie in their apartment in “The Wolfpack”.

IRIS

First off, a side note: the three documentary feature films that headline this section of my annual list are all set in New York City. It’s not surprising considering the Big Apple has always been a hotbed for stories that truly capture the city’s eccentric spirit and coterie of multifaceted characters. Chief among New York’s well-known personalities is the sprightly nonagenarian style icon that is Iris Apfel, whose documentary directed by the late Albert Maysles (of the Grey Gardens fame) is a fascinating look into the life of a creative eccentric that only someone like Apfel can provide. The genius of Iris is that it is less about the outré fashions and costume jewelry but more about the erudite woman underneath all that crazy regalia.

HOMME LESS

Homelessness is a serious issue that isn’t just a concern among third world countries, but also within wealthy and highly developed nations like the United States. Even the very streets of a very expensive metropolis like New York City are littered with hundreds of homeless people barely struggling to scrounge for food, find places to rest and bathe, or worse—gain employment. But this fly-on-the-wall guerilla style documentary about Mark Reay—a middle-aged man with rather handsome features and an even more unexpected personal background is just the tip of the homeless iceberg. Homme Less is an eye-opening discourse that looks can certainly be deceiving at first glance when homeless people are involved.

THE WOLFPACK

The magic of filmmaking is that it always has the uncanny ability to impart in many people a potent sense of escapism from reality, and this final documentary feature set in New York City takes a much darker tone than the previous two stories. The title of the film refers to a band of six brothers whose entire lives are tightly controlled by their mysterious and cult-like father. Almost never allowed to leave their cramped tenement apartment on the Lower East Side, the Angulo Brothers find solace within their precious collection of Hollywood films which they lovingly reenact through inventive cosplayed scenes. The Wolfpack is a powerful yet haunting glimpse into a near-isolated life that requires the very fantasy of cinema to survive.

ANIMATION

From top to bottom: Joy and Sadness working together in “Inside Out”, The Aviator and The Little Prince discuss a curious drawing of a sheep in “The Little Prince”, Emily Clone and Emily Prime view a selection of harvested human memories in “World Of Tomorrow”.

INSIDE OUT

Pixar has earned its sterling reputation for producing gorgeously animated feature films for kids that slyly masquerade as emotionally manipulative works of art aimed at adults, but in a good way, of course. The studio returns to flawless form this year with Inside Out—a film that shouldn’t work on paper but whose very existence on the silver screen defies all logic and reason and goes straight for the heartstrings. Both cerebral and emotional, this high-stakes adventure between two diametrically opposing emotions—Joy and Sadness, obvs—is an imaginative tour-de-force that defends the significance of sorrow and cautions us on the often destructive ways that forced happiness can influence our lives.

THE LITTLE PRINCE

Antoine De Saint-Exupéry first published Le Petit Prince in 1943 and it took about seventy-two years to adapt the French author’s most iconic work into an animated feature film worthy of its venerated legacy. Animator and director Mark Osborne who conceived of Kung Fu Panda has breathed new life into the classic story about the titular royal of celestial origins by cleverly using the original source material as a parallel and interconnected framing device in order to tell a universal story about the pitfalls of prematurely forcing children to act like adults. Sumptuously animated and featuring a stellar voice cast, The Little Prince is mandatory viewing for lovers and fans of the highly beloved novella.

WORLD OF TOMORROW

You may or may not have noticed that the title of this list emphasizes the term “film” as opposed to “movie”. That’s because of the inclusion of this mind-bending and astonishingly emotional short film by independent animator Don Hertzfeldt. To ignore this spectacularly genius work simply because of its concise runtime of seventeen minutes is to deny the art form of animation itself. The brevity of this high-concept piece is more than enough to contain immensely majestic ideas of science fiction while delivering a heartfelt story about a precocious toddler girl and her third-generation adult clone. Go see World Of Tomorrow immediately and you too will realize that you “no longer fall in love with rocks”.

INDIES

From top to bottom: Felix De Givry headlining a club gig in “Eden”, Sonoya Mizuno and Oscar Isaac performing a bonkers dance routine in “Ex Machina”, Susanne Wuest peering through window blinds while her head is swathed in bandages in “Goodnight Mommy”.

EDEN

As someone whose social circle involves rubbing shoulders with DJs, this enchanting French indie film by director Mia Hansen-Løve and based on her brother’s experiences as a former disc jockey completely resonated with me on a visceral level. Felix De Givry—a handsome and scruffy French actor on the rise—plays an idealistic young man who dreams of embarking on a career as a DJ but realizes over the years that the path to success is not an easy one. Blending a fictional side story about the origins of Daft Punk together with the main narrative, this dramatic piece is also packed with a great soundtrack. Eden is dedicated to all my DJ friends whose big dreams of stardom are sustained by the very music they play.

EX MACHINA

Alex Garland has always been one of my creative favorites given that he has written one of my favorite novels (The Beach) and a screenplay to one of my favorite movies (28 Days Later). In his directorial film debut, Garland fires on all cylinders with a spectacular yet minimalist science-fiction thriller that brings a fresh spin on the battle between man and machine. Garland has crafted an intelligent chamber play that skillfully builds unsettling tension between an unwitting employee, his devious and eccentric tech genius employer, and the employer’s beguiling AI gynoid creation. Unfolding with stimulating precision, Ex Machina is proof that even the smallest of indie films can tell a transfixing story with such bold ideas.

GOODNIGHT MOMMY

Last year, I praised the merits of The Babadook as a champion of the horror genre that did not rely on cheap jump scares and other tired shock tactics but solely through inventive storytelling and building an eerie atmosphere of fear and suspense. This year, the torch is passed on to a creepy Austrian horror film that is drenched with a spellbinding mix of dread, darkness, and violence that will make you think twice about messing around with identical twins or aloof mothers with sinister medical bandages obscuring their faces. Infusing a bracing twist on old-fashioned elements in horror filmmaking, Goodnight Mommy is the kind of gonzo freakish nightmare that you wish would never ever happen to your own family.

BLOCKBUSTERS

From top to bottom: Daisy Ridley and John Boyega escaping the clutches of enemy forces in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, Chris Hemsworth and his superhero comrades confront a villainous AI entity in “Avengers: Age Of Ultron”, Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy are surrounded by their multi-generational female allies in “Mad Max: Fury Road”.

STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS

The three major blockbusters honored on this year’s list represented three distinct fandoms that have made a significant impact not just on box office sales, but striking conversations about issues beyond their entertainment value. Episode VII of the hallowed Star Wars universe made headlines for casting an unknown actress in the lead female role and a black actor as a Stormtrooper. But both Daisy Ridley and John Boyega proved the naysayers wrong when the final product was released to critical acclaim and overwhelming financial success. Star Wars: The Force Awakens reinvigorates the beloved space opera saga by introducing gifted new characters while retaining the grandiose spirit and vigor of the epic franchise.

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON

Superheroes, too, made for a strapping summer presentation as Marvel Studios went full-throttle with the crown jewel of their Phase Two lineup of films. It’s hard to believe that over three years ago, a misfit team of super-powered individuals assembled to form The Avengers and became a colossal cultural phenomenon where superhero films can indeed merge art with commerce. But while director Joss Whedon may have buckled under the pressure in making the follow-up to that 2012 behemoth, the end result still packs lots of solid punches while keeping the continuing storyline of our band of heroes stable. Avengers: Age Of Ultron is another satisfying addition in the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe.

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

Forget everything you know about high-octane action films because George Miller basically threw the rulebook out the window and produced a new set of nigh impossible filmmaking standards so shiny and so chrome that lesser directors would probably tremble in their blatant mediocrity. A nuclear desert wasteland populated by maniacal tyrant warlords, ultra-violent ghostly skinhead soldiers, proactive post-apocalyptic feminist princesses, badass geriatric sharpshooting biker ladies, and two drift-compatible road warriors filled with so much pathos and bravery—everything is all here combined to pure cinematic perfection. To that end, Mad Max: Fury Road is hands-down the summa cum laude of the Best In Film, Class Of 2015.

]]>https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2015/12/27/brent-360s-best-in-film-of-2015/feed/0besarza360From top to bottom: Amy Schumer and Bill Hader seated courtside on an NBA game in "Trainwreck", Greta Gerwig surrounded by a motley crew of comedic characters in "Mistress America", Claire McNulty and Bridey Eliot go thrift store shopping in "Fort Tilden".From top to bottom: Iris Apfel striking a pose for a photo shoot in "Iris", Mark Reay sitting in his makeshift shelter on a rooftop building in "Homme Less", the six Angulo Brothers eating dinner and watching a movie in their apartment in "The Wolfpack".From top to bottom: Joy and Sadness working together in "Inside Out", The Aviator and The Little Prince discuss a curious drawing of a sheep in "The Little Prince", Emily Clone and Emily Prime view a selection of harvested human memories in "World Of Tomorrow".From top to bottom: Felix De Givry headlining a club gig in "Eden", Sonoya Mizuno and Oscar Isaac performing a bonkers dance routine in "Ex Machina", Susanne Wuest peering through window blinds while her head is swathed in bandages in "Goodnight Mommy".Daisy Ridley and John Boyega avoids an attack from enemy forces in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", Chris Hemsworth leads his superhero comrades against a sentient AI robot in "Avengers: Age Of Ultron", Charlize Theron and Tom Hardy are surrounded by their proactive female allies in "Mad Max: Fury Road".Brent 360’s Best In Music Of 2015https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2015/12/06/brent-360s-best-in-music-of-2015/
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My love for music has been embedded since childhood, roughly around the same time I had started to develop a vested interest in films. The golden years of MTV were a crucial element during the formative stages of my life, and as I grew older, I was exposed to a wide variety of artists and genres which gave me valuable insight into cultivating my personal preferences when it comes to music I love to listen to. A brief but memorable phase of my late adolescence was my stint as a radio DJ for a local station in my hometown where the Billboard Hot 100 songs and other well-curated upscale tracks reigned supreme to a target audience that demanded sophisticated songs as opposed to unpalatable mass market tunes playing on the airwaves.

Throughout the years, technology has steadily evolved and the way I consumed my regular sonic fix has changed to reflect the passage of time and the kind of music I am willing to absorb. Back then, I heavily relied on radio and television to get maximum exposure on my favorite artists and find out about emerging talents in the scene. If I wanted to enjoy repeated listening sessions in the comfort of my home without resorting to my previous default options, then cassette tapes were somewhat a grudging compromise to the more expensive CDs housed in shiny jewel cases that I could not afford with my meager allowance at the time. Fast forward to my present age of not-quite-yet-30, the internet has become an invaluable source of easily discovering and acquiring music I love by way of high-quality MP3 downloads and high-definition music video viewing on YouTube.

So far, my musical tastes are more or less entrenched in what I really care to listen to nowadays, but there is still plenty of leg room should there be interesting aural avenues that deserve a place in my digital music library. And I do realize that, for a huge fan of music like myself, it has taken me quite a while to write a year-end blog post about the best in music for the past twelve months given that I have been doing this for the field of movies for a few years running. Better late than never, as the saying goes, and I am thankful to the sonic gods and goddesses that 2015 has blessed me with an eclectic plethora of harmonious choices that ultimately compelled me to compose this inaugural list of my handpicked finest sonic cuts of the year. From concise extended plays (EPs) to full-length studio albums (LPs), this is the Best in Music of 2015 presented in alphabetical order by artist.

From top to bottom, left to right: Adele, Autre Ne Veut, Björk, Coldplay, FKA Twigs, and Florence + The Machine.

ADELE • 25

It is powerfully humbling to realize that a precious vocal powerhouse like Adele is my generational contemporary. While I am still trying to navigate my personal and professional life out of the murky waters of my tumultuous young adulthood, the renowned singer-songwriter hailing from North London has already achieved a phenomenal amount of overwhelming personal and financial success solely on the fact that she sings about the kind of relatable misery that a mere mortal such as myself has experienced in my early twenties. Her best-selling and unanimously acclaimed breakthrough sophomore album was the kind of record that wasn’t just an influential treatise on the failure of a romantic relationship, but it was also a transcendent rumination on the poignant hardships that everyday people endure even after they celebrate their 21st birthdays. For Adele at that moment in time, one isn’t the loneliest number, but it is twenty-one.

Make no mistake: Adele is hardly the first artist to sing about universal themes such as heartbreak and love. So many of her celebrated predecessors in decades past have sung about the pitfalls of love and received stratospheric recognition for their work. And yet, in an era where most of today’s mainstream music is concerned about how the audience should “twerk it like Miley”, reminding listeners that they’re jamming to “Britney, bitch”, or some other trending nonsense, the old-school approach to her image and artistry is a welcome sucker punch to our jaded souls. For behind the big honey-biscuit-blonde hair, flawless eye makeup, and tastefully conservative tea-length dresses lies a monumental talent that spits upon the tried-and-tested marketing strategy that sex and impossible beauty standards always sells. And once again, she has proven with her third studio album that being true to her stunning voice and her full-figured fabulousness is a formula not to be messed with and something that can never be replicated by other artists in the music scene.

Where she has angrily wielded the Hammer of Heartbreak (looking right at you, Thor Odinson) and used it to obliterate a dysfunctional union on 21, Adele revisits the crumbled ruins of her past relationship several years and a “Skyfall” later with 25. Here, she deeply reflects upon the rubble she has caused with a mature perspective and ultimately presents the listener with a surprising evolution as far as lyrical themes and audio production is concerned. Adele’s latest LP is possibly a sonic manifestation of that traditional wedding adage of “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue” in that her diverse choice of collaborators on the album—from Paul Epworth, Bruno Mars, and Ryan Tedder to Greg Kurstin, Max Martin, Danger Mouse, and Tobias Jesso, Jr.—have coalesced her sound into recognizable panoramic terrain while wisely guiding her into the hitherto unexpected musical fringes of her contemporaries in the industry.

She delivers devastatingly heart-wrenching ballads that we have come to expect from her (something old) by way of “Hello”, “Remedy”, and “When We Were Young”; she infuses a bit of playful and edgy sass (something new) with the stripped-back “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” that echoes the best of Taylor Swift at first listen; she channels fellow English songstress Florence Welch on “I Miss You” (something borrowed) with the track’s hauntingly sultry vocals and commanding sepulchral drums that wouldn’t sound out of place in an early Florence + The Machine record, together with the evocative gospel-tinged jam entitled “River Lea”; and she doesn’t disappoint with soulful and melancholic gems such as “Love In The Dark” and “Million Years Ago” (and something blue)—two prime examples that seemed to be culled from the playlist of Sadness from Pixar’s brilliant Inside Out. Adele may have explored new textures in terms of developing her sonic signatures, but it is her straightforward songwriting skills and unparalleled vocal talents that still carry the weight of the album.

Adele is a true rarity in today’s music scene, and her place in the pantheon of music legends is firmly secure with her third record that is sure to enter 2016 with a record-breaking excess of full steam in its emotional engines. With 25, the album is strong enough to drive anyone with a beating heart to shed tears on the inevitability of growing old, the gripping power of nostalgia, and the strength to face responsibilities in the wake of adulthood.

AUTRE NE VEUT • AGE OF TRANSPARENCY

It’s sort of funny how we live in a world that’s full of hypocritical bullshit that we are constantly demanding nothing but unfiltered honesty from news media outlets and online discussion forums to retail store sales assistants and public transportation drivers. But for most people, the one thing where we crave the truth above all is from our significant other. Boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives, life partners—it doesn’t matter whether the relationship is straight or gay, for as long as both halves involved in the intimate partnership have no secrets to hide from each other, then everything is pretty much golden as far as anyone is concerned. But as anything that happens in life, nothing is perfect and nothing is forever. Even the best of relationships can unravel with even the smallest of untruths being uttered from the lips of one and into the ears of the other.

Which is why listening to Autre Ne Veut’s enlightening album, Age Of Transparency, is perhaps the equivalent of imbibing Veritaserum from the fictional universe of Harry Potter: the songs on this illuminating record speak primarily about the kind of nerve-wracking anxiety we allow ourselves to feel when we live such candid lives in the open and in the immediate presence of someone you have come to love and trust. Being in that position can be daunting for anyone, and the album as a whole is reflective of the emotional apprehension that comes with the territory of being in a relationship that may or may not be in danger of imploding if the fallacies we have repressed come creeping out of the cracks. The fact that this is a record which falls under the curious subgenre of PBR&B (or alternative R&B for the indignant and politically correct music genre purists reading this post) makes Age Of Transparency much more compelling even if you feel more or less unsettled with listening to its tracks from start to finish.

For the uninitiated, Autre Ne Veut is the nom de plume of one Arthur Ashin from North Carolina, who physically resembles a younger Moby with his lanky frame and bald head but sans glasses. His chosen stage name is roughly translated from French to English as “I want no other”, and it seems apt for Ashin who has eagerly dabbled into the alternative R&B scene back in 2010 and has never looked back since. Like most of his peers in the musical subgenre he has found comfort in, Ashin’s sound is often infused with unconventional electronic elements which lends the alternative aspect and his elastic vocals providing the R&B thrust of his preferred narrative. In his third LP effort, his voice possesses a pleading and uneasy quality in the way he delivers his thoughtful but passionate lyrics. But in certain places, his vocal performance is stretched to the point where he almost buckles under the intense weight of the sonic production splashed liberally with abrupt stuttering glitches or slow-processed rhythms. It’s as if Ashin is not ashamed in any way whatsoever of not always being in control of his primary instrument judging from the way he often moans, wails, and elongates the vowels of his verses as well as employing a wriggling falsetto.

The aural extremes that showcase Autre Ne Veut’s vocal stylings against the abrasive nature of his eccentric sound production are best exemplified on tracks like the album opener “On And On [Reprise]” as well as “Cold Winds” and “Switch Hitter”. But it is on two distinctive standouts on the album where Ashin truly shines as far as getting his sensual but coy voice to blend harmoniously with the intentionally robust sonic backdrop. In the nearly six-minute title track, he finds strength and confidence by using careful restraint on his singing backed by a slinky drumbeat and fervent string section. And on “World War, Part 02”, he expresses a sort of conflicted tone in his near-erotic performance amidst a gorgeous and glimmering electronic soundscape (plus that eerie but delectable “I-I-I-I-I-I-I” hook that prefaces most of the song’s verses) where he espouses to his lover that “this time won’t last forever, and your face won’t be enough”.

Autre Ne Veut is one of those emerging underground artists who you wish would stay in the shadows just a wee bit longer in the hopes that his sound will continue to develop when the time is finally ripe for him to stand under the mainstream spotlight. But as far as clearness is concerned, Ashin with his Age Of Transparency is a record that lays itself bare for us to enjoy and we should be all the more grateful for such candor.

BJÖRK • VULNICURA

There is perhaps no concept album quite like a breakup record. In its simplest definition, a breakup album is a collection of songs that conveys an artist’s mental and emotional state at the time that the record as a whole was written and recorded. It sounds deceptively easy in theory, but it is actually much difficult to execute in a successful and satisfying manner for both the artist and the audience listening to songs that often speak of love gone wrong. When done right, a breakup album can achieve mythical status within the ever-shifting landscape of music. There’s the gold standard that is Rumours by Fleetwood Mac; another example would be Alanis Morissette’s seminal alt-rock classic Jagged Little Pill; think also For Emma, Forever Ago by Bon Iver; of course, 21 by Adele is practically a given. And if there is any justice in this world, Vulnicura by Björk should join those hallowed brokenhearted ranks as a breakup album par excellence.

Björk has always marched to the beat of her own avant-garde drum, and has consistently blazed the trail when it comes to producing highly innovative sounds that make her music very inimitable. Granted, majority of her back catalogue is tremendously challenging to digest for the average listener; but those with fearless tastes in music can appreciate the way she creates unusual yet enigmatic sonic surfaces bolstered by the sheer potency of her staggering soprano vocal range. Björk’s intrepid experimentation with her music has largely resulted in incredible results that have solidified her status as a musician who refuses to be pigeonholed into just one specific genre. And as a native Icelander who grew up with English as a secondary language, Björk’s songs have that peculiar yet poetic quality that elevates into a higher plane of lyricism the second she belts them out in her unique voice. After her ambitious venture in fusing nature and technology with her previous album, the ninth LP in her musical canon finds her looking down at the edge of the gloomy abyss that represents the breakdown of her long-term relationship with the American visual artist, Matthew Barney.

In this record, Björk repurposes the two core sonic elements she employed in her critically-acclaimed Homogenic album: beats and strings. This time, the production and arrangements are much darker and bleaker given the subject matter of her songs. Assisted by co-producers Arca and The Haxan Cloak—two of the brightest luminaries in the field of experimental electronica today—Björk has crafted exquisitely haunting songs that are raw and exposed, much like the gaping wound you see her sporting on the album cover. Another curious trait of the album is the fact that majority of the tracks have song lengths that are more than five minutes in duration; something that is a defining hallmark of fellow Icelandic music act, Sigur Rós. But rather than coming off as superfluous and self-indulgent, the longer runtime of Vulnicura’s songs means that the synthesis of moody electronica and chilly classical strings gets to luxuriate and blossom in order to provide a steady sonic bed where Björk’s vocals are allowed to wallow in utter misery. The album is a winter record of sorts just like her Vespertine release. But where Vespertine is a delicate snowfall of eroticism that comes with the discovery of new love, Vulnicura is the harsh and unforgiving blizzard of inconsolable desolation.

There’s absolutely no question that the centerpiece of the record is the ten-minute epic entitled “Black Lake”, which essentially functions as a funeral dirge of sorts after Björk has acknowledged that her disintegrated relationship with Barney cannot be salvaged whatsoever. The equally dark but more aggressive “Family” continues the lyrical theme of interring the charred remains of her relationship. She sets the tone of the album with opener “Stonemilker” and proceeds to reinforce the realization that she is heading towards the inevitable with “History Of Touches”. But it is her spectacular duet with Antony Hegarty on the dramatic and waltz-like “Atom Dance” that gives us an indication that Björk can still emerge from the ashes like a phoenix reborn.

By 2017, Iceland’s biggest and most successful musical export will have turned fifty-two and will have celebrated forty years of her illustrious and multi-faceted career in the music industry. Assuming—of course—that she has no plans of retiring at that point in her life, then we can be assured of the fact that Björk still has more to offer to the nonconformist audiophile if Vulnicura is anything to go by.

COLDPLAY • A HEAD FULL OF DREAMS

Okay, let’s get one thing straight now that we’re going to talk about Coldplay: you have every right to dismiss them on the grounds that they aren’t exactly the greatest rock band in the world, but that doesn’t mean that your negative opinion of them is exactly acceptable, either. Yes, this internationally renowned four-man British group has strangely earned a rather polarizing reaction from music fans over the years. Detractors and critics have accused them of producing overtly sentimental, cheesy, or sometimes pretentious drivel. Their most ardent defenders and supporters have emphasized that they’re being unfairly judged on the kind of music they make when majority of their repertoire since their inception has largely promoted themes of love, acceptance, and general positivity. While I can certainly understand the points presented on both sides of this unusual Coldplay Conundrum, I’ve largely stayed on neutral territory in that I can appreciate the band from an objective point of view, but there wasn’t any one album of theirs that I truly appreciated as a whole.

Consider the fact that I’ve only ever liked bits and pieces of their work across several LPs they have released. I pretty much only liked “Yellow” on Parachutes; “The Scientist” and “Clocks” were the only ones on A Rush Of Blood To The Head that caught my attention; and I much preferred “Speed Of Sound” on X+Y where most others loved “Fix You”. This has been a repeating pattern that I’ve noticed on every album that Coldplay has brought forth with every passing year, and I was afraid that I might likely die without ever encountering an album of theirs that actually spoke to me. My fears were assuaged upon hearing their seventh record which they christened as A Head Full Of Dreams. Coldplay front man Chris Martin has stated in an interview prior to the release of the album that he and his bandmates wanted to “make something colorful and uplifting” and that it would be something “you can shuffle your feet to”. The surprise announcement that there would also be collaborative appearances by Beyoncé and Tove Lo only heightened my curiosity and I was compelled to check this record out despite my reservations that I would only come out liking one or two songs.

I was wrong. I liked the entire record as a whole. Finally! I can now say with certainty that this is the first ever Coldplay album that I could fully get behind. Okay, there were a couple of filler tracks, but no album is truly perfect. Hell, I didn’t even like some of the songs on Adele’s much-vaulted 21. Stylistically, a lot of the tracks could carry the banner of “dance rock” given how uptempo the guitar, drums, and keyboard arrangements are. Credit should be given to Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion for augmenting their instrumentation with such enjoyable abandon. And considering how much I was obsessed with the celestial enchantment of “A Sky Full Of Stars” from their previous album, Ghost Stories, it feels like a lot of tracks on A Head Full Of Dreams went in that direction and I couldn’t be more pleased. But a disclaimer, though: just because I really like this album doesn’t mean I’ve officially declared my loyalty to #TeamProColdplay. Perhaps if they make another solid effort like this one, I may be just inclined to affirm where my allegiances lie.

The album opens on a strong note with the title track; a veritable serving of outsized stadium rock complete with a towering “Whoa-oh-oh-oh!” chant section that it’s hard not to tap your feet to it in enjoyment. First official single “Adventure Of A Lifetime” is just a groovy burst of tropical sunshine where the band winks at the influence of recent neo-funk pieces by Daft Punk and Mark Ronson. And with all due respect to Hozier, “Hymn For The Weekend” with the cameo of Queen Bey was a dazzlingly sacrosanct highlight that truly took me to church with its splendor. Swedish electropop singer-songwriter Tove Lo duets with Martin on a soaring ballad (“Fun”) that would give the band’s previous collaboration with Rihanna (“Princess Of China” on Mylo Xyloto) some serious self-competition. And the saccharine comeliness of “Amazing Day” is sure to make for a strong appearance on many a wedding reception while married couples dance to its sweeping hyper-romanticism.

I’m still a bit mystified as to how a band that has sold over 80 million records and embarked on several sold-out concert tours could have such a divisive effect on many music lovers. But if you ask me, I’d say Coldplay has more than enough steadfast optimism to block out the haters if A Head Full Of Dreams is any indication.

FKA TWIGS • M3LL155X

It’s a testament to an artist that the second you go viral in the early stages of your career, there can only be nothing but good things that will happen to you and your artistry if you play your cards right. And that is exactly what FKA Twigs has done since breaking out into the public consciousness with the sparse yet shimmering “Water Me” from her second EP release. A discerning listener always looking for the “next big thing” would still have plenty to like about the aforementioned track even without the driving power of its music video that went from zero to viral on YouTube after a short amount of time. In the video, FKA Twigs is framed in a very intimate close-up where we see her unusually beautiful features marked by her signature baby hairs stylishly gelled into charming swirls against her temples and a strangely mesmerizing CGI effect done on her already wide doe eyes that would have Japanese anime lovers foaming at the mouth with glee.

That was back in 2013, and Tahliah Barnett (real name of the enigmatic British act known as FKA Twigs) followed it up in 2014 with her entrancing full-length debut simply titled LP1 that had tons of music critics anointing her as the new queen of indietronica/alternative R&B and had music fans sit up and take notice of this emerging talent whose sultry vocals was a force to be reckoned with. From this album emerged the impenetrable splendor that is “Two Weeks”—a track that is perhaps the sexiest slow jam to have ever emerged in recent memory and is also a very insouciant ode to promoting infidelity with FKA Twigs seductively hissing out mischievous lines like “I can fuck you better than her” and “Give me two weeks [and] you won’t recognize her”. LP1 as a whole went in a similar vein as “Two Weeks” with the songs drenched in this hypnotic electro-R&B haze that perfectly sustained Barnett’s voice which sounds like the second coming of Aaliyah. So where does one go after such a critically-hailed introductory record? As far as Barnett is concerned, she went in a completely unexpected direction and gave birth to her third EP this year that she named M3LL155X.

Her glassy vocals still reign supreme on her latest offering, and Barnett exudes a surge of added confidence to her performance across the five songs that make up her third EP. Listening to the entirety of M3LL155X (pronounced as “Melissa”) makes you feel as if you are hearing the sounds of an upscale celestial nightclub from some faraway galaxy in a distant alternate universe. The sonic production done by FKA Twigs (with the assistance of Boots and Tic) feels so futuristic, textural, and alien but at the same time it grounds the whole record into familiar, comforting territory thanks to the alluring prowess of Barnett’s vocal talents. The complex ideas she had been nurturing in her past efforts have crystallized and hardened into something that is feral and edgy but still has that reassuring aura of accessibility that can entice the average listener into her fray. The fact that her EP comes complete with a sixteen-minute short film featuring nearly all the songs on the record proves that Barnett is nothing short of daring and ambitious when it comes to packaging her image as an artist.

Witness the triumphant swagger of “Figure 8” which opens the EP: Barnett channels a spectral quality to her singing as she traverses a sluggish yet coarsely industrial soundscape before her vocals ultimately get shredded via cacophonous electronic flourishes with interesting precision in the latter half of the track as she spits out a rap section with a flow that would make her peers green with envy. “I’m Your Doll” oozes unfiltered sensuality with undertones of sexual submission to her dominant partner, while “In Time” crawls out of the darkness and into the flashing strobe lights with a chunky dance beat and sees FKA Twigs chastising her lover with a punchy hook like “you’ve got a goddamned nerve”. She continues to exhibit her unshakable braggadocio with “Glass + Patron”, where FKA Twigs champions the power of confidence and commanding the listener jamming to the track to “hold that pose for me”. Closing track “Mothercreep” ends the EP with a satisfying finish as Barnett sighs and moans her way amidst a throbbing and skittering bass-heavy beat.

Despite the highly concise nature of M3LL155X, it cannot be denied that FKA Twigs has successfully packed more creative ideas into her third EP than artists more established than her could ever dream of putting into a full-length album. Less is certainly more, but when FKA Twigs pares it down to perfection, she does it in a way that other artists should take extensive notes on exactly how it should be done.

FLORENCE + THE MACHINE • HOW BIG, HOW BLUE, HOW BEAUTIFUL

Since breaking into the music scene with her gut-busting 2009 debut with her supporting band dubbed as The Machine, Florence Welch has established herself as a modern-day indie rock goddess who seems to be an amalgamation of William Shakespeare’s Ophelia and Lord Alfred Tennyson’s Lady of Shalott with bits of Stevie Nicks thrown in for good mystical measure. Possessing a maelstrom of a voice that was clearly intended for colossal arenas, the flame-haired British songstress operates on a majestic scale when it comes to creating the kind of music she likes to put out for the world to hear. It’s only fitting considering that her God-given pipes could very well give the most powerful wind machines a run for their money. And it’s even more impressive considering all of this is coming from a woman who had absolutely no formal training in developing her singing voice. There is something innately charming about a surprisingly soft-spoken artist like Welch because in her steady rise to stardom, she has acquired a massive global fan base that includes bigger and more mainstream artists in the industry like Kanye West and Beyoncé. The kind of adoration that Welch has received from fans, critics, and her music peers alike is largely attributed to the fact that her songs are both emotional and anthemic in nature. For her, the mantra is—and always will be—go big or go home.

Her previous two records (debut album Lungs and second release Ceremonials) underscored this maximalist aphorism that Welch exercises to great effect. Tracks like “Dog Days Are Over”, “Drumming Song”, “Shake It Out”, and “No Light, No Light” have become definitive standards in her repertoire because they embody the kind of spiritual grandiloquence that not only affects your soul on a lyrical level, but they also have the astonishing capacity to make you dance like a Whirling Dervish spiraling out of control. Even when you put Welch out of her typical indie rock/chamber pop wheelhouse and place her in an unexpected genre—as was the case with her outstanding EDM collaboration with Calvin Harris on “Sweet Nothing”—the immense power of her voice and the persuasive delivery of her lyrics still comes out shining bright like a supernova without coming across as trite and pretentious. But when it comes to exercising the art of restraint, Florence Welch can still do no wrong if How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful is any indication.

Hardcore fans of Florence + The Machine such as myself have no reason to fear with her third album. There are still the opulent choruses and lively instrumentation to be enjoyed throughout the record, but what Welch has done on her recent release is putting subtle and reserved production flourishes that balance out her archetypal grandiosity. Another notable evolution to her music is in her songwriting for the new album: she has mostly dispensed with the numinous lyrical metaphors about ghosts, devils, and other supernatural beings in favor of a more direct and candid approach and she is all the better for it. And where thundering percussion was the central conceit of Lungs and Ceremonials, uplifting brass arrangements take center stage on How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful. All of these elements have combined to form a cohesive and rewarding album that ticks all the boxes of what we can expect from Florence Welch and her valiant Machine.

If you are looking for the stadium-worthy anthems to make your day, then look no further with the striking title track as well as songs like “What Kind Of Man”, “Queen Of Peace”, and “Third Eye”. In these vigorous pieces, Welch sings emotionally potent verses that feel like a master’s discourse on epic songwriting that flawlessly marries fantasy with reality. She pens a fantastic love letter to the city of Los Angeles where she decided to get hurt “between a crucifix and the Hollywood sign”; she croons on how her lover “inspired a fire of devotion that lasted for twenty years” after just one kiss; she sees herself “dissolving like the setting sun” because her partner is driving her away; and she joyfully extols the listener to live life to the fullest, exclaiming that “you deserve to be loved and you deserve what you are given”. Even on the superbly subdued cuts like “Long + Lost” and “St. Jude”, her softness still cuts deep like a knife against the viscera of our skin.

You can say this much about Florence Welch and her impressive third album: you can always expect big things from her, her stardom is destined for atmospheric blue heights, and her music will always remain beautiful for as long as she stays true to her towering voice and her magical artistry.

From left to right, top to bottom: Jamie xx, José González, Kaskade, Kelela, The Weeknd, and Zero 7

JAMIE XX • IN COLOUR

There is that peculiar liminal space you often encounter whenever you’re rubbing shoulders with chic night owls in a posh VIP lounge bar, dining in a fancy but affordable restaurant, or perusing through a fashionable clothing boutique: you hear the music playing on their state-of-the-art sound system and you find yourself craving for something that catches your ear and which you can mildly groove to, but still unobtrusive enough to allow you some breathing room to just relax and appreciate the environment of the location you’re in. In other words: you want the Goldilocks formula that’s not too loud and not too upbeat, but also something that’s not too quiet or too relaxed. That type of music is often hard to pin down, especially if you’re really looking for something specific to accurately capture that smooth but fluid mood you’re seeking. It’s a good thing, then, that Jamie xx has exactly what you’re hankering for by way of his solo debut effort, In Colour.

Jamie xx—real name Jamie Smith from England—is one-third of the dream pop outfit that is The xx. He is the one responsible for enhancing the instrumentation and breathy vocals provided by his colleagues Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim and creating the elegantly discreet construction that has defined their sound as a music group and made them the darlings of the indie music cognoscenti. Aside from handling production duties for his band, he also does solo work as a DJ and remix artist where he has reworked songs for the likes of Radiohead, Florence + The Machine, and Four Tet. As a producer, Smith’s signature is creating a clean and atmospheric sound that hovers on the overlap between chillout and dance music. This characteristic is evident on tracks he has done for The xx like “Reunion” and “Chained”—the latter of which makes judicious use of tension through muffled oscillating beats and a shimmering guitar interlude. On his solo album, Jamie xx has effectively created a collection of songs that further expands his range as an electronic music producer.

Listening to In Colour feels like a “eureka moment” in that you just know this feels like the perfect record you can play during intimate dinner parties at your home and your fastidious tastemaker guests will probably be asking you with curiosity, “Hey, what’s this music you’re playing right now? I kind of like it!” It’s a smart soundtrack to play in the background while having scintillating conversations with like-minded individuals over delicious food and drinks, but it’s also very much an album that you can play while doing leisurely activities by yourself like lounging by the swimming pool or being curled up in your room while surfing the internet. It can be argued that In Colour is an album that doesn’t really need to be placed in a particular place and time; it can stand alone on its own, and yet it can suitably function as a sonic backdrop that can set the right minimalist aesthetic. And despite the cameo appearances of his bandmates on the album doing guest vocal work, this is still very much Smith’s pride and joy as majority of the tracks on the LP are instrumental in nature.

And what kaleidoscopic instrumentals they are! Album opener “Gosh” hits the ground running but at a cool pace and then effortlessly sashays into a lounge-like strut with “Sleep Sound”. Smith infuses a lush tropical feel to the mix by incorporating steel drum sounds on “Obvs” but then changes gears with a brief and hazy interlude in “Just Saying”. The instrumental tracks that make up the latter half of In Colour—namely “Hold Tight”, “The Rest Is Noise”, and “Girl”—proudly wave the flag of future garage and showcases the evolution of Jamie xx outside of the work he does with his band. And speaking of his band, the guest vocals provided by two-thirds of The xx have shaped up to form introspective moments of romance from the perspective of forlorn party goers adrift in a nightclub. Sim headlines on the calm topography of “Stranger In A Room” where he confesses under the blue lights that “there’s always someone I’ve wanted to know with no way of it working back home”. And on the slinky neo-discotheque vibe of “Loud Places”, Croft wistfully questions to a prospective lover she meets in the crowd: “Didn’t I take you to higher places you can’t reach without me?”

Smith has painted a veritable rainbow of artfully produced sounds on In Colour that you might be inclined to wish the next album he does with Croft and Sim would step out of the pensive and grayscale miasma that The xx is wont to do. Here’s hoping that if ever that doesn’t come to fruition, Jamie xx can always tinker with the vibrant spectrum of production tricks he can do for his second solo effort.

JOSÉ GONZÁLEZ • VESTIGES + CLAWS

The popular phrase “Speak softly and carry a big stick” is commonly attributed to former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and is often interpreted to mean that one merely needs to exercise subtlety but can have the ability to express audacity if desired. Many notable artists in the indie folk genre—i.e. Damien Rice, Vienna Teng, Angus + Julia Stone, Priscilla Ahn, Jack Johnson—can be likened to this well-known axiom in the sense that their music is often defined by nuanced sounds but the forceful impact of their work lies in their astute lyricism. Stripped of any artifice provided by extroverted instrumentation or fancy production techniques, indie folk artists believe purely on the art of simplicity that allows them to be direct with the listener. But just because their sonic palette is largely mellow in nature doesn’t mean that they aren’t able to advocate about intricate ideas in their music. Just listen to Vestiges + Claws by José González and you’ll be surprised at how an album that sounds so peaceful could evoke such grand and encompassing philosophical themes.

But first, a quick primer on José González: born in Sweden to a family of Argentinean immigrants, had musical roots in hardcore punk but switched to less aggressive sounds after picking up the classical guitar, released his first solo effort with a four-track EP in June 2003, and the rest is history. Oh, and the fact that he’s also a vegetarian and an atheist. The latter two factoids about González notwithstanding, there is something about his music that uniquely separates him from his indie folk peers and that is his facility to write songs that are courageous enough to ponder about the convolutions of human nature and our place in the universe. Not content to just sing acoustic guitar-based songs about love, González applies a more cerebral touch when it comes to his compositions as evidenced by his previous LP released in 2007, In Our Nature, which was partly inspired by reading books such as The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and Practical Ethics by Peter Singer. Eight years later, González has largely been under the radar but has been busy making new music in the interim and observing the changes the world has gone through during that timeframe. Vestiges + Claws is the result of his long-gestating scrutiny, and he presents his work with an unvarnished and objective hand.

The sounds to be heard on the album are divine and organic, and the sparse ambiance González creates through finger-picking his trusty acoustic guitar is a perfect counterpoint to González’s vocals whose low register and unhurried cadence intones his thoughtful lyrics with a dose of conviction. Indeed, it’s startling to discover that a singer-songwriter like González who never raises his voice could impart a driving sense of urgency to his songs upon listening to them. It’s very much like his famous cover of Massive Attack’s iconic “Teardrop” where he has substituted the well-known heartbeats and synths and lullaby singing of Elizabeth Fraser with his insistent guitar strumming and cool vocal timbre. The lyrics themselves might not have changed, but presenting it in his style now puts the song in an entirely different milieu than to what we were expecting from the original. Simply put: when listening to the songs of Vestiges + Claws, González encourages the listener to place everything in context even if the world around us has changed with the passage of time.

This intellectual lesson itself begins on the solemn opening track “With The Ink Of A Ghost” where González examines that we are “witness to the changing tides” and also “finding ways how to make sense of all the lights”. On the uplifting cheerfulness of “Leaf Off/The Cave”, he heartens the listener to “take a moment to reflect where you’re going” and continues to nurture the ideals of hope and peace with the pastoral “Every Age” where he wishes at the end of the song that we are able to “build a place where we can all belong”. But despite the underlying message of sanguinity on the first half of the record, González still dares to be confrontational and theoretical on “What Will” as he presents to the listener a number of possibilities that would be the legacy of humanity: Will it be “silence acceptance of the norm”? Will it be “faith in dogma or reasoning”? Will it be “envy or generosity”? Or will it be through “wishful thinking or reality”?

Which brings us back to Teddy Roosevelt’s quotable citation: José González can indeed project an impression of delicacy with his music, but rather than carrying a big stick to reinforce his message to the world, he will instead use Vestiges + Claws to fight for his indie folk cause.

KASKADE • AUTOMATIC

It’s amazing to think that my earliest exposure to house music (before the letters E, D, and M put together was even considered a big thing) was way back in my high school years. It was 2003 and I was in my junior year when I knew about “It’s You, It’s Me”—the foremost proper house track I committed to memory at the time. I don’t remember exactly where I first heard that song, but I vividly recall how I felt when I first listened to that track. There was that feeling of chilled bliss coupled by the sense that I had stumbled onto a music genre that opened my ears to a largely uncharted world of dance music that I had never imagined I would come to love as I grew older. To this very day, Kaskade has firmly remained my favorite DJ above all others because had it not been for that groovy house track he released over a decade ago, I would not have had the foresight to get into house music and its various cousin genres at an early age before it exploded into the ears and minds of less-attuned listeners still feeding on alternative rock groups, rival boy-and-girl bands, and solo pop stars.

Sure enough, electronic dance music eventually made its prophetic and volatile crossover into mainstream music just as I was dropping out of college. Whether you were into pop, rock, or hip-hop, they now had that lustrous sheen of dance music production to give the Holy Trinity of Music Genres a little bit of electric and chart-topping personality. DJs such as David Guetta, Calvin Harris, and Daft Punk now had the power and privilege to collaborate with major artists such as Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, and Pharrell Williams. But considering the homogenous state of the EDM scene as we know it today, it’s such a hard pill to swallow when you get tired of listening to so many different DJs and dance music producers employing the same bass drops, laser-like synthesizers, and four-on-the-floor beats to their Beatport accounts, VIP nightclub residencies, and live festival set lists. We have reached a saturation point so dense that it’s hard to appreciate new material from any of your favorite mixmasters. Fortunately, I wasn’t let down by Kaskade’s latest album entitled Automatic.

My automatic predisposition for Mr. Ryan Raddon aside (haha, see what I did there?), I have to admit that it actually took me several heavy-duty spins of his new record before I began to appreciate the album as a whole. When compared to any of his previous releases, Automatic doesn’t quite live up to Kaskade’s lofty standards but it still delivers a very solid and well-rounded performance compared to the works of his peers in the EDM arena. What is interesting about the record is that Kaskade has managed to round up so many guest vocalists and collaborators on just one album. Before, Raddon was just content to use a minimum of two or three guest singers, often female, and utilize their vocal talents on multiple songs for each album he has released (i.e. Haley Gibby, Sunsun, and Becky Jean Williams). But on Automatic, eleven out of the fourteen songs feature a different singing act to breathe life onto his stunningly produced dance tracks. But despite the stacked guest list assembled on his newest offering, Kaskade is the one who remains front and center on the record as he juggles his associates with ease while also honing in on his masterful skills as a dance music producer.

And here’s another pro to consider: the diversity of guest vocalists means that we get a succulent feast of complementary sonic flavors as we progress through the album. Ilsey certainly has a charming effect on the bouncy “Disarm You” and Estelle happily glides on rays of nu-disco sunshine with “Day Trippin’”. John Dahlbäck assists Raddon on “A Little More” as they both tag-team to give singer Sansa a soundscape of cosmic proportions in order to give her relaxing vocals a chance to shine. But the album is not just about the girls; Kaskade gives the guys their moment in the flashing strobe lights as well. Scott Shepard adds a sexy and soulful touch to the cool house vibes of “Breaking Up”, while Two Nations lends an attractive indie rock feeling to “Papercuts”. Raddon himself even does serviceable vocal duties on the opening track, “We Don’t Stop”, which proves that even with the appearance of his invited comrades-in-arms, he’s still the one leading the charge.

Kaskade may not be considered as the world’s best DJ for some dance music aficionados out there, but it cannot be denied that his veteran status in the industry has earned him a kind of pedigree that provides him with the tenacity and poise to reinforce his brand of music as something that is essential and influential. Automatic is proof that even someone of Raddon’s world-class caliber as a DJ refuses to go on autopilot.

KELELA • HALLUCINOGEN

When you’re dabbling in the popular field of R&B, what immediately comes to mind for most listeners is the presence of stealthy beats and vocals that may have been soaked in the sweetest honey. Sexy slow jams or funky floor fillers are often par for the course in this particular genre, but when you branch off into its indie offshoot that is alternative R&B, then all bets are off if certain artists are willing to disregard the standard R&B playbook and forge their own unique trails. Keeping things inventive while still making your sound tethered in a common headspace for the average listener is perhaps the principal challenge that alternative R&B musicians have to reconcile. To paraphrase the words of the poet Robert Frost, the often mutable terrain that underlines the point alternative R&B is perhaps the reason why the genre is the road less traveled by musicians in the indie scene. But in the case of Hallucinogen by Kelela, there is no fear to be heard on this record, but simply a brave declaration that someone of her rookie status can tread the path of alternative R&B, take the stubborn bull by the horns, and bring that elusive genre to down her knees with relative ease.

Who is Kelela, you ask? Google is at your disposal to answer your queries about this rising star, but since you’re here reading this year-end list of my best picks in music, here’s the shorthand 411: born to Ethiopian-American immigrants, Kelela Mizanekristos began her music career in 2010 in the indie scene and achieved significant street cred via her 2013 debut mixtape Cut 4 Me and received praise from the likes of Björk and Solange Knowles. Cut to 2015, and she released her follow up with an extended play that is a concentrated form of the ideas she had been playing around on her critically-approved mixtape. Emphasis on the word ‘concentrated’ because this six-track EP is exactly what it says on the label: listening to the songs can very well leave a hallucinogenic impression upon the listener with their potent lyrics, incandescent sonic canvas, and Kelela’s buttery-smooth voice that seems fated to give flavor to any aural landscape she can get her hands on.

For her latest offering, she enlisted the services of Arca and Boots—the ultramodern music producers du jour who have lent their Midas touches for the likes of FKA Twigs, Run The Jewels, and Kanye West. And rather than shaping her vocals to accommodate their vanguard production, her voice appears to adjust the eerie aural worlds being constructed around her. This gives the EP a very elegant but progressive approach on how to perfectly deconstruct the very fabric of traditional R&B and transform it into something modern yet accessible. In her last release, Kelela acted as a musical magpie by gathering sundry sounds of various genres—electronica, grime, house, dubstep, techno—and put them all together in a strange collage that would have been the downfall of any lesser artist but on her, it just works. Hallucinogen is a continuation of her plucky examination to push the genre of alternative R&B to its unimaginable limits and succeeds in doing so.

“A Message” beautifully opens the EP with Kelela slithering through a mysterious soundscape with the sluggish pace of flowing molasses as she mourns her status as the ex-girlfriend of her former lover by exclaiming that she “left some things behind [and I] don’t need your help”. She exerts a firm control of her sexual dominance on the feline grace of “Gomenasai” by confidently delivering something so brassy to her partner like “you’re my bitch tonight, but tomorrow you won’t admit it”. There’s a noticeable throwback element present on the danceable production “Rewind”, where Kelela pays respectful homage to Janet Jackson during her The Velvet Rope era. She braces for the unavoidable emotional disconnection with her lover on the soft fluorescence of “All The Way Down” as she confessess that she “cared before but baby now I don’t give a fuck”. Kelela’s vocals are deliberately processed to unintelligibility on the brief and obscure title track that it is roughly an instrumental palate cleanser before segueing into the closing track, “The High”, where she coos and moans her verses amidst a palpitating heartbeat rhythm that feels solemn as opposed to being joyfully intimate.

Fearlessness is probably an apt noun to affix to an artist like Kelela. In the music video for “A Message”, she starts off sporting waist-grazing dreadlocks before shearing her mane to shoulder-length right in the middle of the track. It’s that kind of audacious attitude that gives credence and profundity to a record like Hallucinogen. But be warned: like the best of recreational drugs, this EP should only be taken in leisurely moderation.

THE WEEKND • BEAUTY BEHIND THE MADNESS

When you are a highly talented musician and your star is ordained to be on the ascendant, the prudent move would be to not lose the momentum and follow through with concrete material that will establish your integrity as an artist to both fans and critics alike. But the trajectory from beloved indie fave to viral mainstream superstar can only be achieved if you have the right elements at play. First, the talent has to be so palpable that even the most cynical music fans can recognize a rough diamond that needs to be polished. Second, the artist must project a certain level of mystique at the grassroots level in order to generate the right kind of buzz. Third, the output must be strong enough to withstand critical scrutiny or else the first and second requirements will be all for naught. Once you have ticked all three boxes, then you are pretty much cleared to have the world at the palm of your hand, just like what The Weeknd did with Beauty Behind The Madness.

Out of the PBR&B Class of 2015 rightfully honored on this list—previously mentioned alums Arthur Ashin, Tahliah Barnett, and Kelela Mizanekristos—Abel Tesfaye (the scruffily handsome man behind The Weeknd) has made Toronto proud with his meteoric rise to mainstream fame and success. But that isn’t to say that he has fully abandoned his alternative R&B roots; Tesfaye has stayed true to his original sound and gave it a more radio-friendly finish in his crossover to pop culture consciousness. When you think about it, it’s quite impressive on Tesfaye’s part given that his lyrical subject matter heavily deals with very shady things such as recreational drug use, heavy-duty partying, and getting the nasty on with the ladies. He has even managed to package all of his tortured bad boy reflections into an album that everyone and their grandmother have enjoyed since its release earlier this year. Songs with NC-17 rated themes but whose sound is just right for playing on the radio and on family-friendly affairs? Shut the fuck up and take my fucking money!

Curiously, despite his newfound attention in the general public nowadays, Tesfaye hasn’t lost his cult status as a PBR&B lothario in the indie music scene. Mainly it’s because of the fact that The Weeknd prefers to downplay his celebrity and focus on what’s important and that is his music. His previously released mixtapes in 2011 and a debut studio album in 2013 would be considered as the research and development stage of Tesfaye’s career. They were buzzworthy under-the-radar works that brought him to the attention of much bigger stars in the hierarchy of the music industry. Contacts with top producers and collaborations with the likes of Drake and Ariana Grande soon followed, and Tesfaye’s signal began to ping on the public radar. And with the release of his second LP, it feels like The Weeknd has earned the equivalent of a king’s coronation. And while the saying does go that “heavy is the head that bears the crown”, Tesfaye doesn’t appear to be bothered in the slightest because he’s got much more important things to sing about on the new record.

Things like informing the listener to spread the word to others that he has finally fucking arrived on “Tell Your Friends” or his remarkable capability to “make that pussy rain” in “Often”. Unexpected collaborations with the likes of Ed Sheeran (“Dark Times”) and Lana Del Rey (“Prisoner”) have resulted in smolderingly nuanced songs that present a more sensitive side to The Weeknd’s persona. But he still finds time to play the tormented gangsta antihero on tracks like “The Hills” where he confesses to his booty call lover that “when I’m fucked up, that’s the real me”, implying that his true self only manifests when he is not sober. The late Amy Winehouse would have approved of such a frank admission in his music. And of course, there is the chart-topping, earworm worthy, dancefloor-ready pièce de résistance that is “Can’t Feel My Face” where the funky beats can’t hide the fact that the lyrics are a metaphor about snorting cocaine with your bae. Whoa, there! Grandma is probably clutching her heirloom Mikimoto pearl necklace if she listened carefully to Tesfaye’s unapologetic lyrics delivered in a voice that makes you think Michael Jackson himself has reincarnated from the grave. But as he reassures us on the song, we probably shouldn’t worry too much about it if it makes our booty dance.

In summation, Beauty Behind The Madness walks the fine line between euphoria and melancholia with both sides splashed liberally with the sort of tasteful intemperance that Tesfaye knows how to wield with a sure hand. If he continues in this uphill course, then every one of us will wish that every day would be The Weeknd.

ZERO 7 • EP3

The Dictionary Of Obscure Sorrows defines the invented word ‘chrysalism’ as a noun that encapsulates the feeling of an “amniotic tranquility of being indoors during a thunderstorm”. If there was a genre that would evoke the feeling of chrysalism for me, then it would have to be chillout music, hands down. There is just something about listening to downtempo electronica that provides the perfect ambiance not just for rainy days, but also during ephemeral moments when your self-imposed isolation gives you that feeling of bliss; the feeling that you’ve untethered yourself from the stress of the daily grind. We live such fast-paced lives in an increasingly digital age that we often overlook those intangible pockets of solitude that provides us with the opportunity to unplug and unwind. Ambient music is a valuable gateway to access the tranquility we take for granted, and it’s a good thing Zero 7 have returned with EP3 to act as a key in unlocking that serenity.

British duo Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker started out as sound engineers in the 1990s mixing music and remix work soon followed where they began to retool songs for musicians like Lenny Kravitz, Sneaker Pimps, and even Terry Callier with his “Love Theme From Spartacus”. It was when they released their first two extended plays that they officially began to work under the name Zero 7 after a trip to Mexico and hanging out at a local bar inspired the numerical moniker. In 2001, they rose to prominence in the UK music scene after releasing their debut studio album entitled Simple Things which featured several guest vocalists that included one of the earliest appearances of Sia Furler—the media-shy Australian singer-songwriter who we know today as the mastermind behind the powerful anthem called “Chandelier” but began lending her incredible vocals to a dreamy Zero 7 classic named “Destiny”. Three more albums followed in the succeeding years but the pair reached a hiatus of sorts after releasing their last album back in 2009, and it was only recently that they discreetly resurfaced with their latest EP as a possible sign that a fourth album may be in the works.

Longtime and loyal fans of Zero 7 have reason to rejoice with EP3 as the record harkens back to the pair’s chillout roots. This clear deference to their musical origins is evident on the tracks featured on the EP, but they have added understated but new production touches here and there to keep things rooted in the present. Still, one can’t help but feel that sense of nostalgia upon listening to the songs, especially if you’ve been lucky enough such as myself to be exposed early on with their back catalogue when they first started out. But if your ears are still virgin to the music of Zero 7, then EP3 is a welcome introduction to the group that would likely propel you to explore their earlier works if you end up liking the songs featured on the record. Binns and Hardaker haven’t lost their touch and the duo still has the uncanny knack to recruit the right vocalist and place that singer in the perfect song. In EP3, the three vocal collaborators featured proved to be the right selections as they deftly laid their voices on the soothing slices of Zero 7’s fascinating ambient electronica soundscapes.

Opener “400 Blows” features Aussie indie newcomer Danny Pratt on lead vocals and his warm caramel voice exhibits a sort of anguished urgency with lyrics that imply a sort of physically abusive relationship that is detrimental on his part as he reveals that “living with this will wither us both, and I felt every blow”. Binns and Hardaker include a cover from the now-defunct British new wave group Talk Talk in the track “The Colour Of Spring” with Only Girl entrusted with singing duties. Her cool and dulcet tones evoke a brooding, after-hours quality to the piece and it is appropriate considering there’s a part on the song where she promises to “immerse in that one moment, [and] left in love to everything”. And on the transcendent fragility of “Last Light”, Swedish indie folk troubadour José González (prominently featured earlier on this list) explores a breathtakingly cinematic expanse of evocative sunset sounds as he imparts his trademark vocal placidness while repeating an expressively assuring mantra to the listener by the track’s end like a baby’s lullaby: “I’ll keep you safe and sound… Keep you safe and sound… Safe and sound”.

And isn’t that the point of experiencing something so redolent like chrysalism? That we want to embrace the feeling of being safe and sound in the face of Mother Nature’s wrath? Well, look no further than EP3 by Zero 7 and you’ll find yourself being wrapped in a comforting cocoon of pure and distilled chillout heaven.

January in Cebu City means two things: the start of the New Year, and of course, the big Sinulog weekend.

The Sinulog Festival—held every third Sunday of January in Cebu City—is a massive cultural and religious festival that commemorates the Filipino people’s acceptance of Roman Catholicism, where the very first of such spiritual conversions happened on the island of Cebu way back in 1521. In recent years, the festival has grown to such epic proportions that it has garnered worldwide attention from adventurous globe trotters everywhere who flock to the Queen City of the South in order to witness the famous grand street parade and other sidebar highlights. Sinulog has achieved a sterling reputation for the Philippines that it has held pride of place for many fun-loving travelers; putting it on equal footing alongside other huge international festivals such as the New Orleans Mardi Gras and the Carnaval Do Brazil.

Relatively new to the Sinulog scene is the huge rave experience known as LifeDance. Birthed in 2012, this intrepid outdoor music festival has steadily grown in terms of scale and ambition over the years. It has billed itself as the country’s first and largest ever ongoing al fresco music event that exclusively caters to the EDM genre and its thousands of devotees. Think of it as the Philippines’ ingénue answer to more established global EDM gatherings such as Electric Daisy Carnival, Tomorrowland, ZoukOut, The Big Chill, and Ultra Music Festival. Strong word of mouth plus incredible support by dedicated partyphiles from all over the Philippines has made LifeDance a major sidebar attraction for many visiting locals and foreigners during the weekend of Sinulog since its inception.

For the 2015 edition, the team behind LifeDance pulled out all the stops to ensure that they meant serious business by moving to a new and bigger venue (from the Boardwalk Complex to the Sugbu Open Grounds) and booking no less than six international headlining acts (Borgeous, Miss Nine, HookNSling, Nari + Milani, Vinai, WeRWolvz) for the one-night-only celebration. This being my third consecutive year of attending LifeDance, I decided to cover the event for my blog and focus more on scoping out the vibes of the new venue as well as capturing some nice photos for my LifeDance Hashtag Fansign project. Suffice to say that my overall experience for LifeDance 2015 was relatively great, but it was not without its faults. In a nutshell, herewith are the pros and cons:

Pros

Bigger venue definitely handled the massive crowd capacity (more than 17,000-plus people as was announced at the festival), which is great considering this event keeps growing with every passing year.

Production value has considerably improved in terms of the technical aspects like staging, lights and LED displays, fireworks, and sound quality. Hey, there were even drones up in the air with cameras that recorded the whole thing!

No increase in ticket prices despite the number of international and local DJs booked for the event. This was no doubt helped in part thanks to the major and minor sponsors involved.

New to LifeDance this year was the addition of a smaller secondary stage (handled by Petrol) where supplementary underground acts performed more edgy and alternative dance tunes which complemented the main stage where the headliners played the mainstream EDM sounds.

Standby emergency services such as an ambulance and fire truck stationed right outside the venue, which is smart given that anything bad could happen in big music festivals.

Cons

While the event implemented an upgraded tap-to-pay system using a special reloadable card to buy drinks, I found it despicable to have to pay 110PhP for a medium-sized bottle of water and 90PhP for a 12oz bottle of Coca-Cola. I get that this is part of how the event makes money to cover production costs and stuff, but the markups for food and refreshments at the concession stands are fucking ridiculous considering that there are supposed to be sponsors, but whatever.

Bleachers for the VIP ticket holders. Really? You would think that those who paid extra for something that is branded as ‘VIP’ would deserve something marginally better to party on than bleachers you’d see at a public high school gymnasium, but okay.

For those who aren’t that fortunate enough to have their own private transportation, getting home from the venue was an absolute nightmare compared to the old LifeDance location. It didn’t help that the taxis associated with the EasyTaxi or GrabTaxi app service were on very short supply in the early hours of Saturday morning when the people without cars or anyone to carpool with were starting to leave. Might I suggest having a dedicated fleet of jeepney transport services (which I think would be cheaper than hiring a bunch of taxis) after the show for the next LifeDance?

Pros and cons aside, I definitely had a lot of fun at LifeDance 2015 as I danced to the stellar lineup of DJs, bumped into some familiar partyphile faces, and met fun-loving strangers from all over the world. I hope that next year’s installment will be another step in the right direction, and that the reputation LifeDance has acquired will continue to flourish and serve as a great way to welcome Sinulog every year and boost Cebu’s tourism. Featured below are some of the shots I took at the event, including the LifeDance Hashtag Fansign Project where I asked attendees to hold up a fansign with the official LD hashtag ‘#lifedance2015’ and to create their own unique hashtags underneath it.

It’s been an absolute blast, and I look forward to LifeDance 2016 in the next 12 months!

The complete lineup for the main stage of LifeDance 2015

The six international headlining acts who performed at LifeDance 2015 (from L-R, top to bottom): Nari + Milani, Borgeous, Miss Nine, HookNSling, WeRWolvz, Vinai

This is where my Journey to LifeDance 2015 started: at the jam-packed entrance of the Sugbu Open Grounds

Color-coded wristbands to gain admission into LifeDance 2015. And if you can’t tell by the photo, the bright green one in the middle is me!

New to this year’s LifeDance: a secondary performance stage sponsored by Petrol and featuring more underground DJ acts.

Beautiful blinding lights and an animated stained-glass theme for the gigantic LED screens for the LifeDance main stage…

Awesome view of the LifeDance main stage even from way back in the massive crowd of partyphiles…

A glorious cage of light shines above the wild revelers of LifeDance 2015…

Hands up in the air for LifeDance 2015!

Partying is our religion. This is the altar of our most holy outdoor cathedral and we came to LifeDance to PRAY HARD!

360-degree view of the crowd at LifeDance 2015 with Miss Nine on the decks.

Another year, another exceptional crop of great films that I have had the privilege to see in the past twelve months. And since I was spoiled for choice this time around, I simply could not round up a list featuring only ten entries like last year’s post. Therefore, I have expanded my selections to twenty of the most exceptional feature films—arranged in no particular order—that impressed me greatly this year.

Because of obvious geographical limitations and the general bullshit surrounding the release of certain films in the Philippines (which is where I live), you won’t be seeing several prestige titles that have made headlines in various major film festivals (i.e. Berlin, Venice, Cannes, and Toronto, among others) and garnering serious Oscar buzz on this list. That being said, I hope you will take my list of the Best Movies of 2014 with an open mind and discover something to enhance your moviegoing experience in the comforts of your own home.

From top to bottom: Snowpiercer, Neighbors, Guardians of the Galaxy, Lucy, Only Lovers Left Alive

SNOWPIERCER

In a time when dystopian worlds are now par for the course in Hollywood thanks to young-adult franchises like The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Divergent, it is quite refreshing to encounter a film that takes a bleak future of Earth into something that is bracingly original, intense, unyielding, dynamic, and engaging to watch. This imaginative science fiction feature based on a French graphic novel is a relentless construct of a fever dream which combines all the elements that would make a cinephile’s stars align: top-notch production design, incredible performances from its stellar international ensemble cast, a gripping narrative drenched with thought-provoking subtexts, and a crystalline sense of direction from a visionary Korean auteur whose past works include a surprisingly great monster film and a terrific psychological thriller.

Dystopia on a high-speed and non-stop train never looked this good. Seriously, this is a fantastically engineered locomotive outfitted with extreme luxuries like an aquarium, a greenhouse, and a nightclub! This unhinged microcosm of the remnants of humanity could easily go toe-to-toe with other post-apocalyptic societies set in crumbling earthbound cities or futuristic enclaves suspended in space. The highest of praises aside, Snowpiercer may also be the only instance where you’ll be able to see a scruffy fuck-all-of-this-shit train hobo version of Captain America facing off against the White Witch of Narnia by way of Dolores Umbridge in outré fashion choices.

NEIGHBORS

Lowbrow comedies can either be a hit or a miss, and rarely do they impress given the type of cheap and crude humor such films generally employ. That being said, this movie about a young married couple waging war against a bunch of rowdy boys in a college fraternity should not work on paper. But seeing all the elements of this raunchy comedy coalesce into the final product, Neighbors defies all logic in the way that it is genuinely a gut-busting film that dishes out every single punchline with intelligence while maintaining its mainstream appeal. Vulgar sight gags, profanity-filled dialogue, outrageous physical comedy—it’s all here distilled and edited into an oxygen-depriving laugh-fest that even the most cynical of viewers will have something to smirk about in carefully restrained glee.

But at its core, Neighbors is also a universal tale about how adults must eventually grow up and take on mature responsibilities (like raising a child or graduating college to get a decent job), which is a sentiment that the film neatly integrates into the plot without losing its comic touch. It also helps that the ensemble cast all play off to each others’ comedic strengths, particularly when the scenes involve Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, and Zac Efron; the latter of whom has proven that underneath all of that gorgeously sculpted bundle of tanned muscles, he is indeed a charismatic talent to be reckoned with.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

Prior to its release, it looked like Marvel Studios had a potential trainwreck on their hands by deciding to debut a film starring a bunch of relatively unknown characters based on one of their more obscure comic titles. And yet, Guardians of the Galaxy proved to be a massive runaway hit with audiences around the world. A large part of the film’s unexpected appeal was the fact that it did not take itself seriously as a superhero film. Without the gritty elements that plagued other superhero movies in recent years, this intergalactic adventure was free to execute some balls-to-the-wall moves—from its motley crew of lively space bandits to its pitch-perfect throwback mixtape soundtrack—that feels like a well-deserved sucker punch to our moviegoing experience.

Tonally, this is also the most exuberant movie that Marvel Studios has ever had in their illustrious portfolio so far, considering that the movie is a veritable explosion of vivid interstellar colors, larger-than-life personalities, and inventive storytelling. The film cemented Zoe Saldana’s status as the new queen of modern sci-fi blockbusters, introduced WWE wrestler Dave Bautista as a budding action star with sly comedic chops, and rightfully anointed Chris Pratt into the superhero A-list; thus completing the Holy Chris Trinity (the others being Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth) of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Most importantly, Guardians of the Galaxy introduced viewers to Rocket and Groot—two extraterrestrial CGI characters (voiced by Bradley Cooper and Vin Diesel, respectively) that totally stole the show and left audiences wanting for more.

LUCY

French film director Luc Besson has always been a champion for strong (if often, damaged) women in his films, from Nikita and Mathilda to Leeloo and Angela. But it is in Besson’s bonkers creation of Lucy that unapologetically blows all of his previous heroines out of the water. Versatile blonde bombshell Scarlett Johansson portrays the titular character and through sheer force of her scintillating screen presence and nuanced performance, she has transformed from a devil-may-care émigré party girl and into a supercharged femme fatale whose increasing intelligence allows her to display an astonishing array of extraordinary powers that would make even Superman kneel in reverence. And though the cause of Johansson’s incredible metamorphosis borders on the absurd, Besson embraces that with shameless enthusiasm and thus takes viewers on a guilt-free rollercoaster ride through time and space with his protagonist as she slowly but surely attains 100 percent of her brain power to unlock her infinite invincibility.

You might even say that this was the superhero movie that Scarlett Johansson was destined to headline… just not as her iconic ass-kicking character of Black Widow. But while Marvel might be slow on the uptake for a solo Black Widow film, viewers can assuage themselves with Lucy for the time being. It takes a strong suspension of disbelief in order to fully enjoy the movie, and once you throw your logic and skepticism out the window, you’ll see that this brilliant piece of transhumanist science fiction is food for your moviegoing thoughts.

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE

Leave it to American indie auteur Jim Jarmusch to create a beautiful and immersive vampire film that would restore your faith in nocturnal bloodsuckers after years of enduring (or outright avoiding) the much-disdained travesty of The Twilight Saga films. Here, the fanged creatures of the night do not sparkle in the daylight nor do they look like undead models from The Gap. Instead, Jarmusch’s version of vampires is a hipster’s wet dream mixed with the classicism of Anne Rice’s flawless vision of these supernatural beings. Languid, soulful, and deeply romantic, Only Lovers Left Alive is anchored by the incandescent performances of Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton as Adam and Eve: a long-distance married immortal couple—he in Detroit and she in Tangier—whose highbrow tastes and hobbies extend to that of their vampiric habit of drinking only “the good stuff” from discreet medical contacts as opposed to violently draining it from a human source.

And where Adam is a dark and brooding recluse musician lamenting the decaying state of human society, Eve is a light and optimistic social bookworm who cherishes everything that life has to offer, and who happens to be close friends with Christopher Marlowe. Both husband and wife share a similar aura of cool sexiness that is palpable in every single frame, whether they’re entwined nude in bed or dressed like deliberately disheveled rock stars and gracing their presence at a dive bar. There’s not much when it comes to plot, but the performances of its two leads and the film’s superb aesthetics—and backed by an esoteric yet sultry indie soundtrack—is enough to keep your pulse going.

From top to bottom: Frank, The Babadook, Leave the World Behind, Under the Electric Sky, Nymphomaniac

FRANK

Imagine a very talented actor who is so rakishly handsome like, say, Michael Fassbender—he with the smoldering Irish blue eyes and blinding shark-like grin—and have him act in a movie that completely obscures his movie-star good looks. This might sound like a recipe for disaster among his millions of admirers, but trust me when I say that seeing Michael Fassbender in this deliciously offbeat black comedy is quite possibly the most revelatory performance he has ever delivered thus far. Unafraid to show his now-legendary penis in Shame, Fassbender applies the same bravura attitude in Frank where he plays the titular character whose face is obscured by a gigantic and cartoonish papier-mâché head like what school mascots wear.

He is the eccentric lead singer of a very obscure indie experimental rock band with an unpronounceable name (The Soronprfbs) that could rival Prince during his infamous Love Symbol years. The film chronicles the life of these struggling musicians with distinctive, oddball personalities and it is through their weird misadventures—from hilarious recording sessions in Ireland to a disastrous public performance in South by Southwest—that make this charming indie flick so fun to digest. Augmented with an equally bizarre yet enjoyable soundtrack, Frank is a musical-dramedy film that plucks all the right heartstrings.

THE BABADOOK

“If it’s in a word, or it’s in a look, you can’t get rid of the Babadook…”

These ominous opening lines to a seemingly innocent yet mysterious pop-up storybook about a malevolent spectral being sets the tone for director Jennifer Kent’s amazing debut film. This under-the-radar Australian production has garnered strong word-of-mouth from early audiences since its first appearance at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, and the hype was indeed justified. So many horror stories in recent years have come to rely on the “found footage” technique that was acceptable for The Blair Witch Project but not for today’s increasingly cynical audiences. In contrast, Kent’s approach in creating The Babadook was inspired by critically-acclaimed classic horror flicks from the 70s and 80s, and it is through this old-school method that the film succeeds.

The central conceit of a frazzled single mother raising a temperamental son is perhaps typical fodder for your usual horror movie, but then it becomes clear as you move forward with the story that the film is a metaphor for the twisted darkness that lurks within every stressed parent raising a difficult child. It’s no wonder that William Friedkin, the director of The Exorcist, tweeted his overwhelming approval of The Babadook, going as far to hail it alongside other horror greats like Psycho, Alien, and Les Diaboliques. Move over, Boogeyman. A new house-bound creature is here to reinvigorate the horror genre.

LEAVE THE WORLD BEHIND + UNDER THE ELECTRIC SKY

Two major documentary feature films about the luminescent world of electronic dance music (EDM) and rave culture were released in 2014. Though the two films focused on different subjects, they are kindred spirits in the way that they presented the same parallel universe underscored by dynamic bass-heavy soundscapes, colorful flashing lights, and thousands of people flocking to stadiums around the world to enjoy their version of a religious experience. The first one, a behind-the-scenes look about the final world tour and subsequent breakup of Swedish House Mafia, gave insight into the not-so-glamorous lives of top international DJs and the pressures they face in order to thrill their millions of adoring fans.

The second one, which documents the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas, provides a glimpse of this major music festival as well as a look into an EDM-fueled lifestyle mainly from the perspectives of dedicated partyphiles of varying backgrounds. While there are many bold-faced names in the EDM scene that appear in both documentaries, Leave the World Behind and Under the Electric Sky goes beyond the DJs who rule court over colossal arenas and showcases the heart and soul of what EDM is all about: a globally recognized lifestyle with its ups and downs just like any other popular music genre.

NYMPH()MANIAC

Lars Von Trier has never shied away from making bold and provocative statements with his films, and it appears that the controversial Danish director has outdone himself with his two-part epic suggestively titled Nymphomaniac. Much like Quentin Tarantino’s iconic revenge saga, I am treating Von Trier’s recent work as one complete film given that both volumes (the, ahem… uncut director’s version clocking in at 325 minutes, I might add) tell the story of the sex-obsessed protagonist fleshed out by two gorgeous Anglo-French actresses: willowy ingénue Stacy Martin in her younger years and by svelte veteran Charlotte Gainsbourg in her adult life. Merging an intellectual drama film with hardcore pornography, the effect of these incongruous elements is jarring yet completely invigorating. The film as a whole does not treat sex as something that’s sexy or desirable, but something that seesaws between being physically clinical to being emotionally destructive.

When the film is taken into context with the other two movies of Von Trier’s Depression Trilogy (the other two being Antichrist and Melancholia), Nymphomaniac thus makes sense in that it represents the carnal aspects of human nature despite suffering from existential ennui. Uncompromising in its content and supremely ambitious in scale, Lars Von Trier has, to put it bluntly, achieved a satisfying cinematic orgasm of erudite levels with his latest creation. And just like your regular porn with sophisticated production values, this one even has good lighting than most arthouse films so you can really see everything from engorged monster cocks to the rosy folds of a woman’s tight cunt!

From top to bottom: The LEGO Movie, Boyhood, The Way He Looks, Big Hero 6, The Grand Budapest Hotel

THE LEGO MOVIE

You would think that a stop-motion animated film based on a bunch of colored, stackable, interlocking plastic toy blocks would be something that would immediately go straight to home video or at its mediocre and tacky best, a TV movie for a popular kids’ cable channel. In the wrong hands, this might be the case, but not when the dynamic duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are tasked with the job. The pair is responsible for the highly successful Jump Street film reboot franchise starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, as well as helming the hilarious CGI-animated food-disaster flick that is Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. Their Midas touch once again proved to be very beneficial as the twosome unleashed The LEGO Movie to rave reviews and commercial success.

Boasting ingenious animated sequences that showcase the infinite construction possibilities of the namesake Danish brand, the film goes above and beyond by incorporating an inventive self-referential treatment to the plot that blends well with the kind of comedy that both kids and adults are able to understand. And with voice talents featuring the likes of Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, Will Arnett, and Morgan Freeman in key roles, it’s virtually impossible not to like The LEGO Movie for its astonishing splendor and justified everyone’s childhood with this modern hit of nostalgia. And unlike the tasteless Transformers franchise spearheaded by the odious Michael Bay, this exceptional work proves that you can create a feature film based on toys and not make it into an offensive and derivative piece of junk. Haters are probably gonna hate, but the fact remains that everything about this movie is totally AWESOME!

BOYHOOD

American director and screenwriter Richard Linklater is no stranger to the art of conceiving long-form films that unravels over the course of several years. This was proven with his seminal romantic trinity (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight) where he collaborated with actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy throughout a thirteen-year epoch to tell the epic love story of Jesse and Céline that began in 1995 and ended in 2013. Such long-gestational interludes may be frustrating for most directors, but not for Linklater. He uses such extended periods of time to carefully craft deeply personal and human stories that unfold like magic upon first sight, and Boyhood is no exception.

Unlike the Before… Trilogy of films, Boyhood is a singular work of art that sprawls over 165 minutes and was filmed sporadically throughout an eleven-year timeframe that began in May 2002 and concluded on October 2013. This is perhaps the most literal coming-of-age tale as we see the character of young actor Ellar Coltrane grow up before our very eyes and experiencing significant milestones that the average person might experience such as divorced parents, moving to a new school, and the labyrinthine obstacles of adolescence. Bolstered by incredible performances of a supporting cast that includes Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, and Linklater’s own daughter, Lorelei Linklater, Boyhood is a powerful treatise of the human condition through the passage of time.

THE WAY HE LOOKS

Contemporary interpretations of young love, particularly of the queer kind, have been superficial at best. However, last year’s Blue is the Warmest Colour was a clear indication that things were finally looking up in LGBT cinema. And while The Way He Looks is not as sexually aggressive as the 2013 Cannes Palm D’Or winner, it still packs a poignant punch to the heart. Innocent and yet profoundly mature, it does stunning things to the gay romance genre. This exquisite Brazilian coming-of-age film explores the platonic relationship between a blind teenage boy (Ghilherme Lobo), his female best friend (Tess Amorim), and a handsome new student (Fabio Audi) who finds easy company with the established pair and also complicating things between the two on a more complex level.

On the surface, the film dabbles with the emotional angst common in adolescence and yet this is as much a movie about camaraderie as it is about love. In fact, the entire film builds upon itself, and focuses on the thriving flashes of relationships rather than reaching the stage of conflicts. Creating emotional tension through chaste means as opposed to overtly sexual methods has kept this film grounded with a buoyant sense of confidence. And unlike many LGBT love stories that have bittersweet, ambiguous, or tragic endings, The Way He Looks one leaves you with a pleasing caress of positivity by the time you reach the final scene filled with joy and optimism.

BIG HERO 6

Disney’s first foray into the superhero genre thanks to their savvy acquisition of Marvel Studios was something of a curiosity for two key demographics. For the princess-obsessed Disney crowd still not able to let things go after Frozen, they treated this film with caution; for the geeks and nerds more at home with the superhero crowd at Comic-Con, they wondered how a comic-book movie could work when it was given a sanitized Mouse House treatment. It would be completely unfair to compare Big Hero 6 to its musically-inclined predecessor because it could not be any more different than a movie about cryogenically-powered royals and talking snowmen. This is a remarkable tour-de-force of animation where it effortlessly combined the extraordinary swagger of the comic-book genre and the heartfelt sensibilities that Disney is known for.

Within its hyper-saturated vision of a multi-cultural future, the film explores the bonds of brotherhood and friendship, replete with soul-crushing themes of loss and grief that as Disney is wont to do. But the Marvel side of things duly champions the quirky individuals with genius-level talents, the importance of using one’s advanced intelligence for the greater good, and the sacrifices one must do to make things right with the world. Let’s not forget the movie’s biggest (and I mean that literally) breakout star in the form of Baymax, who practically steals every scene he is in thanks to his lovable outsized features and affable, docile personality. With both brains and brawn, Big Hero 6 is a stratospheric triumph of kaleidoscopic proportions and firmly asserts its rightful place within the renowned Disney canon.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL

If Hollywood focused on the culinary arts as opposed to filmmaking, then Wes Anderson would no doubt be a classically trained haute cuisine chef of the utmost caliber. There is just something about the way Anderson concocts his films with extremely meticulous detail that watching any piece from his filmography feels like you’re eating the most scrumptious entrée with impeccable presentation. And it is in The Grand Budapest Hotel that Wes Anderson is in his most Andersonian, which is to say that he has pulled out all the stops to cook up a whimsical feature film that is the gastronomic equivalent of a very expensive seven-course meal in a fancy three Michelin-starred restaurant.

It is in the fictional European country of Zubrowka in a bygone war period where the American auteur sets his latest masterpiece, and populated it with an eccentric ensemble cast of characters. Part romantic-comedy and part murder mystery, this visually distinctive film is a self-contained world where Anderson’s coterie of fine and talented actors—from Ralph Fiennes’ uproarious hotel concierge to Tilda Swinton’s delightful cameo as an octogenarian heiress—are able to shine bright like the iridescent surface of a perfectly cooked Ladurée macaron. If there was ever a secret ingredient in The Grand Budapest Hotel that gives the film its palate-pleasing magic, then like any executive chef worth his Maldon sea salt, Wes Anderson is certainly not telling.

From top to bottom: Dear White People, Oculus, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, Citizenfour, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

DEAR WHITE PEOPLE

How exactly do you handle a comedy film that tackles the extremely sensitive issue of racial tensions between black and white Americans without descending into an insulting clusterfuck that social media will rip apart to pieces? Whatever the answer to that question may be, only up-and-coming director JustinSimien can respond to it because he has achieved nothing short of a cinematic miracle. This is a brilliant piece of satire that crackles all throughout with snappy dialogue (i.e. “Dear white people: the minimum requirement of black friends in order to not seem racist has just been raised to two. Sorry, but your weed man, Tyrone, does not count…”) delivered by a suitably diverse group of young, good-looking, and emerging talents that includes Tessa Thompson, Brandon P. Bell, and Teyonah Parris.

Set in the fictional Ivy League-ish institution of WinchesterUniversity, the film traces the lives of several students—both black and white—where the social atmosphere on school grounds between white cliques and minority groups is tenuous at best and riotously fucked-up at its worst. Dear White People is fearless in its barefaced skewering of offensive racial stereotypes while simultaneously presenting an impeccable, honest, character-driven comedy about “being a black face in a white space” that resonates with today’s politically-correct generation who can easily eviscerate any racially intolerant person on their Twitter and Tumblr accounts. For all its intents and purposes, this deeply entertaining movie about racial and social politics may just be the rightful heir to Do the Right Thing if there is any cinematic justice in this world.

OCULUS

The trope of “haunted/possessed/cursed inanimate object” in the horror genre would usually make me roll my eyes in contempt and cynicism. This year alone, there was no shortage of uninspired scary movies with this tired particular element that ran gamut from a Ouija board to a porcelain doll. That being said, it was a complete surprise to discover that Oculus had managed to outdo the lesser competition and delivered a fiercely terrifying tale about a seemingly harmless antique mirror that has wreaked unspeakable havoc to an innocent pair of estranged siblings, headlined by Karen Gillan and Brenton Thwaites as adults with Annalise Basso and Garrett Ryan playing their younger incarnations.

Splicing the narrative into two separate timelines, the film expertly weaves past and present into a single cohesive thread that succeeds in unsettling your nerves. Psychologically manipulative in the best way possible, this underrated horror flick also keeps audiences on its toes by employing tried-and-tested tricks in the scare book (e.g. the apple/lightbulb switcheroo) without making them look contrived. It is a testament to this deftly executed film that it has not succumbed to the cheap scares and theatrics that has plagued so many other horror movies in recent years. Disturbing, frightening, and uniquely challenging, Oculus is a gratifying mindfuck of a horror movie that will make you think twice before deciding to buy antique mirrors (or any other decorative household objects) for your home.

THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA

The confirmed final retirement of Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki and the subsequent hiatus of Studio Ghibli sent shockwaves to the millions of fans who have venerated the beloved filmmaker and the film company he has founded. Despite this monumental landmark in the world of international cinema, Studio Ghibli carried on with the show and released their latest full-length feature film directed by acclaimed director Isao Takahata—the man who helmed the heartbreaking classic Grave of the Fireflies. Based on an ancient Japanese folktale, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a victorious ode to traditional hand-drawn animation and establishes a notable pride of place within the celestial firmament of Studio Ghibli’s fantastical oeuvre. Steeped in carefully measured parts of bliss and saudade, the story follows the titular character whose mysterious cosmic origins provides the catalyst to the narrative as she goes from a charming country girl finding happiness in simple things to a glamorous city socialite who discovers imperial court life to be rigid and stifling.

Stylistically, this is perhaps the most striking Ghibli film in that it looks as if an artist’s most private sketchbook filled with dreamlike aquarelle images and almost calligraphic charcoal drawings have come to life. A particularly beautiful and breathtaking sequence sees Princess Kaguya fleeing her mansion in distress; shedding her many layers of fabulous silk kimonos in her wake while swiftly speeding through the moonlit landscape. It’s this sort of artistic courageousness by the folks at Studio Ghibli that not even the best of CGI animation houses could ever hope to achieve. Delicate, timeless, and spellbinding, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is mandatory viewing for anyone who appreciates the finer points of storytelling and animation outside of the Hollywood bigwigs.

CITIZENFOUR

We are now living in an era where privacy on a digital stage is considered a very luxurious currency that people can rarely afford. Not even Jennifer Lawrence (with her box-office dominance and her Academy Award statuette) can buy maximum-level isolation, given that her personal nude photographs were mysteriously hacked and repulsively distributed on the Internet for millions of netizens to see. Perhaps it is apt, then, to have a chilling documentary feature film like Citizenfour to illuminate mainstream viewers on what it really means to live in a modern world where even the most private secrets you hide can easily be brought to light by certain people adept in the realm of intelligence and cyberspace. American-born and Berlin-based documentarian Laura Poitras has painted a fascinating portrait of the infamous Edward Snowden—a system administrator responsible for disclosing classified information by the National Security Agency, such as revealing that the organization has performed illegal wire-tapping practices as part of their security defense strategies.

Hailed as both a hero and a traitor within international governments and media, Poitras wisely casts the main subject of her documentary in a neutral light, allowing viewers to judge whether they empathize with or condemn Snowden for his actions. What is surprising about the film is that it confronts the issues of ethics, freedom of speech, and the clandestine price that we all have pay in order to maintain stability in our lives. Stripping away the artifice and getting right into the visceral core, Citizenfour is a haunting and eye-opening discourse that both informs and warns audiences to never, ever let their guard down in these troubled times.

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES

Summer 2014 has delivered what is perhaps the thinking man’s version of a high-octane popcorn blockbuster in the form of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. Continuing the rebooted origin story of how our world came to be dominated by eerily sentient primates, the ambitious second chapter of this Man vs. Ape saga takes things to the next level as humans struggle to survive the near extinction of their species due to the simian flu pandemic that has ravaged the globe. However, circumstances for the apes aren’t that pleasant given that there are internal forces threatening to undermine the might of primate leader Caesar. Complicating matters is the fact that Caesar and his loyal cohorts together with a peaceful group of human survivors form an uneasy alliance despite the rest of their respective factions want to see each other dead. They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and that is perhaps an accurate adage to encapsulate the underlying themes of this gripping sui generis sci-fi drama that captures not just the conflicts between humans and advanced hominids, but also the hubristic and abrasive clashes that occur within both warring sides.

Thrilling action sequences perfectly offset the more introspective moments in the film, and this judicious combination give audiences some room to breathe. Not to be dismissed is the technically astounding motion-capture work that showcases the hyper-realistic apes where they effortlessly pass the uncanny valley test with flying colors. And of course, you cannot talk about mo-cap acting without mentioning actor Andy Serkis—who has brought an intense, emotional depth in his textural performance of Caesar that threatens to surpass his flawless work with Peter Jackson in the world of Middle Earth. And while we all know the eventual endgame of this post-apocalyptic tale, the journey presented in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes makes the bleak destination absolutely worth going to.

]]>https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/brent-360s-best-movies-of-2014/feed/0besarza360bestof2014 001From top to bottom: Snowpiercer, Neighbors, Guardians of the Galaxy, Lucy, Only Lovers Left AliveFrom top to bottom: Frank, The Babadook, Leave The World Behind, Under The Electric Sky, NymphomaniacFrom top to bottom: The LEGO Movie, Boyhood, The Way He Looks, Big Hero 6, The Grand Budapest HotelFrom top to bottom: Dear White People, Oculus, The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya, Citizenfour, Dawn Of The Planet Of The ApesFilm Review : Snowpiercer (Or Should I Say, SLAYPIERCER!)https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2014/01/31/film-review-snowpiercer-or-should-i-say-slaypiercer/
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Rare is the film that deftly weaves masterful storytelling, gripping action sequences, precise acting performances, and a biting social commentary on class warfare. Look no further than “Snowpiercer” to deliver all these elusive elements perfectly distilled and combined into what is perhaps a bravura masterpiece from acclaimed Korean auteur, Bong Joon-Ho. Adapted from the relatively obscure French graphic novel series originally titled “Le Transperceneige” created by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand, and Jean-Marc Rochette, director Bong (who helmed previous hits such as “Mother”, “Memories Of Murder”, and “The Host”) bravely took the source material and by bucking against typical Hollywood filmmaking restrictions, he has delivered a tour-de-force experience that can comfortably rest alongside the greatest science-fiction films in cinematic history. Period.

But first, let’s get up to speed with the basic premise of the movie. In 2014, the governments of the world decided to finally rally against global warming by spraying the atmosphere with a chemical substance known as CW-7 which was designed to lower scorching temperatures. Yet in a surprising twist that echoes Queen Elsa’s emotional outburst that sent her kingdom into a wintry oblivion in “Frozen”, the environmental scheme backfired and permanently transformed Earth into giant ice ball devoid of life. But that’s where the parallels to the 2013 Disney film end because apparently, a single eccentric billionaire industrialist named Wilford (Ed Harris) figured out that CW-7 was a total dud from the get-go and decided he would become a modern day Noah by constructing a massive train to salvage the few remnants of humanity. To cap it all off, the train’s creator built an astonishing railway track that completely circles the globe and outfitted his locomotive with a perpetual-motion engine. This means that the train—which Wilford christened as the Snowpiercer—will eternally circumnavigate the planet amidst the unforgiving and cold landscape of a now-dead Earth.

And if you think that’s already a depressing scenario for a dystopian science-fiction film, it gets even worse. Within the train’s confines, the malevolent aspects of humanity have reared its ugly head as a caste system evolved where the privileged few who managed to purchase tickets aboard the Snowpiercer commandeered the Front Section and forced the desperate crowd of underprivileged stowaways into the Tail Section where they are not granted access to the luxurious amenities on the train. Seventeen years after the disastrous “CW-7 Snowpocalypse”, the poverty-stricken passengers of the Tail Section decide to stage a major uprising against the tyrannical Front Section and the might of Wilford—whom the arrogant elites in the Front venerate as a supposedly benevolent Messianic figure that guards the perpetual-motion engine that they highly consider as a sacred object akin to worshipping a religious relic that must never be blasphemed lest the momentum of the train be compromised.

But all that is about to change thanks to the determined but highly reluctant leadership of a Tail Sectioner named Curtis (Chris Evans) and his ragtag team of allies from the train’s caboose: his younger and hotheaded second-in-command, Edgar (Jamie Bell); single parents Tanya (Octavia Spencer) and Andrew (Ewen Bremner); an imprisoned Korean security expert Namgoong Minsu (Song Kang-Ho) and his teenage daughter, Yona (Ko Asung); and the Tail Section’s chief elder, Gilliam (John Hurt) with his bodyguard, Grey (Luke Pasqualino). Desiring better living conditions aboard the nonstop transport, Curtis intends to take over the revered Engine Section as he believes that if he and his cohorts control the engine, they can “control the world”. But that mission is easier said than done when he and his intrepid team have to face Wilford’s formidable army spearheaded by his trusted prime minister, the megalomaniacal Mason (Tilda Swinton), who might just be the demented bastard love child of Jadis the White Witch from “The Chronicles of Narnia” and Dolores Umbridge from the “Harry Potter” series.

From the point where the Tail violently engages with the Front for supremacy, the film moves forward at a relentless pace that leaves viewers hanging at the edge of their seats. Bong’s meticulous style of direction is evident in every single frame as the scenes of “Snowpiercer” unfold very much like a dynamic video game. This makes sense considering that the gritty protagonists have to push and fight their way forward to encounter multiple sections of the train that they have never set foot on and are appropriately placed with unexpectedly effective bosses that they must defeat before they can proceed to the next stage of their journey.

On a production value standpoint, it is rather extraordinary to note that this film was made on a relatively modest budget of $39.2 million (chump change in Hollywood finances) and yet Bong and his filmmaking collaborators managed to make “Snowpiercer” look more expensive than, say, the first installment of “The Hunger Games”. Granted, the exterior CGI world of a frozen Earth may be a bit iffy to some, but this is a rather negligible throwaway when you consider how the interiors of the train were painstakingly designed. Beginning with the Tail Section that basically looks like a typical third-world slum neighborhood compressed into a cramped metal railway box, the reveal of the succeeding cars in the Front Section is nothing short of breathtaking. A verdant greenhouse where old ladies go to do their knitting, an aquarium complete with a sushi bar, a brainwashing facility by way of an acid-bright children’s classroom, a super-large meat freezer stocked with hanging beef and poultry, a posh lounge area with a chic beauty salon, a hedonistic nightclub car with an adjacent recreational drug room—these are just some of the marvelous areas of the Snowpiercer that subtly represents everything wrong with the affluent members of society today.

Perhaps it is also worth noting that Bong wisely chose to be inspired by key elements of the source material rather than faithfully adapting “Le Transperceneige” as other book-to-screen films produced by a corporate Hollywood are wont to do. What Bong has largely taken from the French graphic novels is the humanistic and grounded subject of social stratification and disparity, which is the central theme that underscores the rattling heartbeat of “Snowpiercer”. The haves versus the have-nots, first class oppressing the lower class, the 99 percent versus the 1 percent, rich against the poor—it is a classic battle that has always been at the forefront of human history and continues to be explored in fictional works, most recently in another similar sci-fi tale of social inequality by Neill Blomkamp which was “Elysium”. Though it was technically brilliant and entertaining to say the least, “Elysium” ultimately failed by its sloppy execution of the plot and portrayal of its characters, and it is in these filmmaking fundamentals where “Snowpiercer” blessedly succeeded.

Needless to say, one of the film’s strongest facets has to be the performances of the pitch-perfect ensemble cast of international actors that Bong has selected to make his story come to life. Fans of Captain America might be surprised to see Chris Evans looking like a scruffy train hobo replete with a thick lumberjack beard and tattered clothes, but his role as the taciturn Curtis makes a rather convincing case that the Marvel Studios stud is more than just your All-American pretty boy as he gives a rather bracing performance that showcases his range as a dramatic actor. As for the supporting roles, everyone basically brought their A-game for Bong’s English-language debut film, though perhaps nobody comes close to the chameleonic Tilda Swinton who effortlessly delivers a rather repulsive antagonist in Minister Mason that is at once cartoonish and nightmarish but thoroughly enjoyable (which are, in my opinion, the hallmarks of a scene-stealing villain).

Bong isn’t the kind of director who minces his visions nor does he shy away from showcasing extreme scenarios to make a statement in his films, and this is the reason why “Snowpiercer” works on so many levels. Had this kind of movie been presented to a typical Hollywood studio for financing, “Snowpiercer” likely wouldn’t exist at all or if it did, it would be completely watered down and tailored to resemble a paint-by-numbers type of summer blockbuster that just wants to make a quick buck and ultimately bereft of any intellectual substance. Which brings me to another strong point of “Snowpiercer” that must be commended: it is the kind of movie that does not insult the intelligence of the viewer. Very much like high-concept sci-fi films like “Inception” or “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, “Snowpiercer” contains an impressive wealth of details within its dystopian and claustrophobic locomotive universe that can be easily understood by an average moviegoer.

Admittedly, the film’s climactic third act may come across as polarizing to some viewers, and eagle-eyed cinema lovers watching this part may strongly compare the long-awaited confrontation of Curtis and Wilford to that of Neo and The Architect in “The Matrix Reloaded” (which I hope I am not alone in this perception). Regardless of the unpredictable denouement of the movie that may generate heated debates between audiences, “Snowpiercer” refuses to compromise with its ultimate resolution and for that, I am greatly thankful that such artistic integrity has been kept largely intact.

Overall, director Bong Joon-Ho has perhaps outdone himself with his latest work, and the mostly positive critical buzz surrounding the film is completely justified given how the entire thing worked on an epically grand scale that easily overshadows big-budget blockbusters created by the studio system of Hollywood. Intense, unyielding, and richly satisfying from start to finish, “Snowpiercer” is the perfect tonic to cleanse your cinematic palate from all the typical garbage being screened in today’s movie theaters, and count yourself thankful that watching thought-provoking stories like this continue to strengthen the future of visionary cinema.

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“Snowpiercer” premiered in the Philippines on January 29, 2014 and is now currently screening in cinemas across the country and is distributed by Multivision Pictures Philippines.

To be a voracious and discerning cinephile living in a country that has very discouraging limitations when it comes to releasing certain films really doesn’t bode well for my screen junkie soul. While living in the Philippines certainly has its merits in many aspects, a diverse and unfettered moviegoing experience perhaps isn’t one of them. While we may get the usual mainstream Hollywood fare during the summer blockbuster season, the local theaters in my country barely show any love for indie films or movies that are usually promoted or featured at the top international film festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, Sundance, and Toronto; films that would often end up in the radar of award-giving bodies such as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), the industry consortium responsible for presenting the highest achievement within the filmmaking world—the Academy Award.

But just because I haven’t seen many movies in the past twelve months because of my country’s ridiculous theatrical release hang-ups doesn’t mean that I haven’t enjoyed those select few I’ve managed to see. Whether I’ve seen it inside a movie theater or in my bedroom playing on my laptop screen, I have managed to draw up ten films of 2013—in no particular order, mind you—that have made a great impression upon me. Be reminded that because of the aforementioned issues I have with my country’s MO on international film releases, I have not yet seen the crop of critically-acclaimed films which have received serious Oscar attention (i.e. “12 Years A Slave”, “Her”, “Blue Jasmine”, “American Hustle”, etc.). That being said, I hope you will take my Top 10 films with a grain of salt and discover something to broaden your horizons if you haven’t yet seen any other titles on my list.

LA VIE D’ADÈLE, CHAPITRES 1 + 2 · BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOUR

Winner of the Palme D’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, this sensational coming-of-age French drama has completely taken me from start to finish in its bold chronicle of a teenage girl’s life as she struggles with her sexual identity, her future goals in life, and her evolving relationship with a slightly older woman who is introduced in the film sporting a short and shaggy crop of blue hair. Watching Adèle and Emma’s love story unfold immediately reminds you of the first time you fell in love with your significant other (that is, if you already have one) or what your own love story would be like if you would put yourself in Adèle’s intrepid shoes (should you be single). Yes, it’s a film about lesbians in love. Yes, it has very graphic and extended girl-on-girl sex scenes that is borderline pornographic. Yes, it is three hours long. Yes, it may have suffered major controversy after its release due to production issues between the director and the rest of the film’s cast and crew.

But you know what? These are details you will probably never notice as you immerse yourself in the engaging storyline paired with the heart-wrenching and spellbinding performances of lead actresses Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux—two extraordinary females whose beauty and talent will surely hold your attention throughout the entire duration of this wonderful modern masterpiece by director Abdellatif Kechiche. If you are a sucker for love stories in the vein of other star-crossed cinematic pairings, “La Vie D’Adèle, Chapitres 1 + 2” / “Blue Is The Warmest Colour” is an absolute must-see on your romance watchlist collection.

FRANCES HA

In a rather tumultuous year where my own personal life had suffered rather severe setbacks in terms of financial and social aspects, I couldn’t have strongly identified more with “Frances Ha” in its elegant yet honest portrayal of a twenty-seven year old idealist that hasn’t yet come to grips with the ins and outs of adult responsibility (who, me?). Shot in a gorgeous black-and-white palette that harks back to classic French and American cinema, indie actress Greta Gerwig luminously portrays the titular character of Frances (though her surname isn’t actually “Ha”) as she not only faces the emotional hardship of potentially losing her best friend due to the diverging paths their lives are taking, but also the issue of having to live her life sustained by an artistic career that doesn’t really pay that much in order to survive living in a rather expensive city that is New York.

In fact, her journey is eerily similar to how most college post-graduates and dropouts live nowadays: trying to live independently without the financial assistance of parents but still relying on the kindness and generosity of friends and acquaintances with more means so as to have a place to stay and food to eat. Smart, funny, eccentric, but riddled with hilariously bad life choices indicative of most struggling twentysomethings undergoing a quarterlife crisis, it would be safe to say that Frances is my cinematic spirit animal for 2013. And despite the many obstacles she encounters along the way, Frances manages to end the film on a deeply satisfying note, including a rather intelligent revelation as to how the film is named. I highly recommend “Frances Ha” to anyone who has ever experienced that frustrating impulse-shopping-but-can-barely-pay-the-rent stage in their lives.

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE

Here’s the thing with most franchise sequels (and also prequels): they often end up falling short from the first film. Compromising content in order to generate box office revenue, this is the unfortunate crime Hollywood commits to popular tentpole titles. Fortunately, the second entry to “The Hunger Games” series not only manages to balance the tricky blend of art and commerce, but it actually surpasses everything about the first movie in more ways than one. From the improved production value, great acting performances, astonishing action set pieces, and even the superb supplementary soundtrack featuring artists such as Coldplay, Sia Furler, The Weeknd, and Ellie Goulding—“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” burns bright with the glow of a thousand supernovas.

Even if you haven’t yet read the books (guilty as charged), you would still feel emotionally invested in the events of “Catching Fire”, as many key players of Panem have evolved considerably—particularly my favorite supporting character that is Effie Trinket (played to couture-worthy levels by Elizabeth Banks)—now that the stakes are raised even higher as the post-apocalyptic nation braces itself for a blazing revolution catalyzed by none other than the Girl on Fire, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence in a fiery performance as hot as the spectacular flaming dresses her character wears), whose winning defiance has inspired the outlying Districts to rebel against the decadent might of the Capitol. Concurrently, the Third Quarter Quell pits former victors against each other in a twisted Hunger Games All-Stars edition with seriously damaging consequences for everyone involved. With “Catching Fire” as a fine example of a gold-standard sequel, it would only mean that the two-part finale of “Mockingjay” should raise the bar even higher upon their eventual release in the years to come.

GRAVITY

A lot of films released in 2013 dealt with several key subjects, with survival being one of the strongest themes to resonate in the past twelve months. And perhaps the greatest survival story to come out of the past year was one set in the vast and frighteningly dead emptiness of outer space. Acclaimed director Alfonso Cuarón has undoubtedly crafted the most gripping and tightly-wound science-fiction thriller that smashes down the limits of how innovative auteurs can make movies. Where James Cameron and Ang Lee put 3D technology to pitch-perfect use in “Avatar” and “Life Of Pi” respectively, Cuarón has virtually done the nigh impossible and blew those two films out of the water with “Gravity”. More than just a visual spectacle of the infinite order, the film unflinchingly focuses on the bravura performance of Sandra Bullock as a novice astronaut fighting to save her life after a freak accident during a space mission explodes in a catastrophe of unthinkable proportions.

From the get-go, you can’t help but root for Bullock’s resilient character as she breathlessly tumbles her way through the harsh, velvety expanse of space and going through an intense roller-coaster of emotions that range from primal fear (spinning out of control) to blessed relief (curled in a fetal position). “Gravity” rests comfortably alongside other human endurance films (albeit such movies remain earthbound) I have cherished such as “Cast Away” and “127 Hours”. A deeper examination of the film would lead you to discover leitmotifs not just about the meaning of life and death, but also that of rebirth, spirituality, faith, and an intangible force perhaps stronger than the film’s title would suggest—namely, the will to survive against all insurmountable odds.

SPRING BREAKERS

Another significant theme for 2013 in films was the glorious depiction of shameless capitalist excess (see: Sofia Coppola’s “The Bling Ring”, Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby”, and Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf Of Wall Street”), and for me, the most subversive and outright eye-opening cinematic experience to carry this message of unabashed gluttony was Harmony Korine’s ode to collegiate debauchery in “Spring Breakers”. At the first viewing, it initially came across as an empty and shallow piece of work that blatantly objectified females and glorified gang culture, sex, drugs, and all the shady facets of the American underbelly. But upon repeated viewings of the film, its appeal—and ultimately, its message—has strangely deepened that even I was surprised at how the movie managed to do so in an insidiously seductive and visceral manner, much like the absolutely gonzo and scene-stealing enactment of James Franco as a criminal gangsta/rapper/hustler who takes Disney Channel alumna stars turned crazy party girls like Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens under his tattooed wing.

Everything about this movie should be so wrong, and yet seeing “Spring Breakers” in all its neon candy-colored shamelessness feels just right, particularly its quotability factor that I suspect future moviegoing lovers would reverently drawl “Spraaaaannng breaaaak fo’eva, bitches” as if it were a prayer to their party gods that would make all their dreams come true. Like a shroom-fueled psychedelic trip gone completely berserk that you can’t help but be addicted to with zero chance of rehabilitation, “Spring Breakers” is a heady mashup extravaganza that blends the loss of innocence and “Girls Gone Wild” to the unapologetic lifestyles of living a dementedly warped version of the American Dream set to a curious soundtrack that mixes both the abrasive dubstep beats of Skrillex and the softness of a Britney Spears ballad in the same field.

FROZEN

Admittedly, I had very little faith in “Frozen” before its release, mainly because of the fact that I was highly skeptical of how the Disney studio adapted Hans Christian Andersen’s grand fairytale of “The Snow Queen” and discovering that the female character designs were almost similar to their previous effort in “Tangled” (Arendelle’s royal sisters Elsa and Anna really do look like close relatives to Rapunzel). But after seeing the film in its entirety, I knew I had to repent my sins and allow for more multiple viewings. While it may still have a few throwaway faults, the many strengths of “Frozen” ultimately make up for its shortcomings and rescuing 2013 as a rather weak year for animated films (the other robust entry being Hayao Miyazaki’s poignant farewell piece, ”The Wind Rises”). But what truly made the movie a winning entry in my books was how Disney managed to sneak in a rather LGBT-positive message in the form of the film’s centerpiece song, “Let It Go”.

As Queen Elsa’s rousing theme of personal liberation to fully embrace her cryogenic powers and disregard a life of conventionality, the lyrics of the song also powerfully allude to those in the gay community struggling with their identity: to release one’s true self rather than to “conceal, don’t feel, don’t let them know”. And as a proud and out member of the LGBT community, this empowering anthem speaks volumes about being proud of oneself and living without fear despite being ostracized in society. Quite frankly, the rest of the featured songs of Disney’s cool musical also have strong yet subtle allusions to important LGBT themes: Comedic snowman Olaf’s humorous ditty, “In Summer”, represents the naïveté of a heterosexual person who does not understand the concept of a gay lifestyle, while Princess Anna’s showstopping “For The First Time In Forever” number speaks of the unbridled longing of any gay person dying to experience something outside of his or her comfort zone. In “Frozen”, there is certainly a lot of warmth at the heart of what is now considered a modern classic reminiscent of the films in the Disney Renaissance era.

CUTIE AND THE BOXER

Movie theaters in the Philippines aren’t exactly conducive places for exceptionally made documentary feature films to be screened for judicious audiences, which is why Filipino film fanatics such as myself turn to the magic of the Internet to provide the goods we’d never hope to see in our local movie houses. One such documentary feature I stumbled upon this year that managed to captivate me was a colorful gem of a film entitled “Cutie And The Boxer”. Truth be told, I always had an affinity for documentaries that focus strongly on arts and entertainment (see: “The September Issue”, “Exit Through The Gift Shop”, “Bill Cunningham New York”, “Helvetica”), and this presentation about an elderly Japanese artist couple living in New York has charmed me in a way that other more potent—yet ultimately bleak—docs like “Blackfish” and “The Act Of Killing” didn’t. The title of the film refers to Noriko (Cutie) and Ushio Shinohara (Bullie, the Boxer), a married Japanese émigré artist couple whose relationship has spanned for more than forty years and has now approached a time in their lives where their individual creative pursuits are being pitted against each other in an upcoming gallery show in their adopted hometown of New York City.

But unlike the affectingly bittersweet love story that transpired between Marina Abramović and Ulay in another artist showcase documentary that I loved (HBO‘s “The Artist Is Present”), Ushio and Noriko’s relationship remains durably intact even as the passing years have thrown countless hardships at them; chief among them Ushio’s struggle with alcoholism in his early years and his inability to sell his outlandish signature pieces of cardboard sculptures and splatter paintings, coupled with Noriko’s underlying resentment that her much older husband financially abused her in her youth to fund his works and how she has always remained second fiddle as a visual artist despite showing great promise as an illustrator (whose fancifully drawn sketches of her and Ushio form a large part of the documentary’s narrative). Quirky, lively, heartfelt, and ultimately breathtaking in its almost biographical portrait of a creatively codependent union between two different souls, “Cutie And The Boxer” packs an emotional punch unlike any documentary film you’ll ever see for 2013.

EDEN

The last time I remember watching a film that featured human sex trafficking as a key storyline element was “Taken”. I am perhaps one of the rare few individuals who really wasn’t that thrilled to see a fine actor like Liam Neeson violently make his way through Paris to rescue his kidnapped daughter being forced into the underground world of illegal sex trading, which is why I was completely surprised (in a great way) that a relatively low-budget and off-the-radar yet well-produced indie film like “Eden” affected me more than “Taken” did on how it tackled its rather controversial subject. Unlike the aforementioned action thriller, “Eden” is actually based on a true story of a Korean immigrant named Chong Kim and her harrowing two-year experience in the world of sexual slavery before escaping captivity. Don’t expect a dangerous father figure with deadly martial arts skills to rescue his virginal child from the bad guys; instead, the hero of the film is the abducted daughter herself. In what is perhaps her breakthrough performance as a serious actress, Jamie Chung (who you will most likely know more as Mulan in the fantasy TV series, “Once Upon A Time”) carries the weight of the film on her shoulders as she portrays the titular character forced into a nightmare of a life guarded by menacing men who have no qualms killing any disobedient sex slave girl if they don’t follow their extreme rules.

Through her perspective, Chung inhabits Eden with a subtle ferocity that even though her back is literally against the wall, she still refuses to let her fighting spirit die in her quest for freedom. What happens next after Chung’s capture is a narrative rife with tight suspense and emotional stakes so high that certain set pieces are sure to get your skin crawling (i.e. Eden trying in vain to escape her captors, running through a desert landscape with a bloody mouth after having bitten off the penis of a sleazy client). Let’s be honest for a second here: sex trafficking is a real but unfortunate thing that is happening to thousands of innocent victims around the world. And yet, for a fictional depiction of a grim facet of our modern society, “Eden” not only manages to truly thrill and entertain with a winning storyline, but it also outlines a real-life global issue without veering into gratuitous exploitation of sex and violence.

THE EAST

Films that carry a socio-political message may sometimes come across as pandering to audiences if done without certain finesse to its proceedings. And having seen the indie thriller film, “The East”, I can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that I have watched a great movie that not only entertained me, but actually forced me to pose thought-provoking questions in a way that great movies tend to do for intelligent moviegoers. Coming off from their previously successful indie collaboration in “Sound Of My Voice”, director Zal Batmanglij and triple-threat wunderkind Brit Marling (actress-screenwriter-producer) join forces once again to concoct an elaborate yet elegant thriller concerning another mysterious band of covert figures. Where their previous film dealt with an obscure cult led by a woman who claims she is from the future, “The East” revolves around an eco-terrorist group (the film’s title is also the group’s collective name) that targets industrial corporations by means of guerilla tactics that have a disturbing “eye for an eye” approach. Marling headlines the film as a smart and resourceful intel agent dispatched by her boss (a steely Patricia Clarkson) who infiltrates the anarchist rebels, the members of which include the likes of Shiloh Fernandez, Toby Kebbell, Ellen Page, and Alexander Skarsgård as the handsome and charismatic leader of The East.

As an ensemble film, the performances are mesmerizing to watch, particularly in scenes involving The East when Marling’s character witnesses exactly how the group moves like clockwork (i.e. a dinner table tableau showcasing a stunningly effective point on compassion and teamwork) to execute their vigilante acts against the one-percenters who have abused their position of power against the ninety-nine percent. What is great about this film is that it presents one of those deliberately ambiguous endings and leaves the viewer to figure out whether the protagonist has remained true to her ideals or has embraced that of the enemy’s. Regardless of how you may feel after watching this unraveling yarn of a movie, “The East” is certainly a film that has traveled in the right direction when it comes to sophisticated filmmaking.

IRON MAN 3

Of the blockbuster superhero flicks that have invaded 2013’s movie screens around the world, “Iron Man 3” has triumphed over everyone else in my personal opinion. To wit: “Man Of Steel” may have been an improvement over “Superman Returns” but it still fell short to audience expectations; I certainly didn’t need another solo X-Men effort in “The Wolverine” no matter how ridiculously hot Hugh Jackman looked in the film; and despite my obsessive fanboy love for all things Thorki (Google the term at your own risk!), “Thor: The Dark World” still had some sore problems that is best left undisclosed lest the fandom come at me with torches and pitchforks. I’m not exactly saying “Iron Man 3” is perfect, but when stacked up against its major competitors, Tony Stark has emerged victorious over Clark Kent, James Howlett, and Thor Odinson.

Cases in point:

(a) Much like Katniss Everdeen, Stark suffers from some serious PTSD symptoms after the cataclysmic events in “The Avengers” and his struggles with his fractured psychological frame of mind while battling the villains is nothing short of brilliant.

(b) He may be powered by the iconic arc reactor embedded in his chest, but Stark has proven through a nifty twist in his character arc that one doesn’t need to have superpowers in order to become a superhero in his own right (just ask Bruce Wayne).

(c) It’s not just about the Tony Stark Ego-Stroking Extravaganza in this third outing, but several key supporting players take one right out of the park, particularly Virginia “Pepper” Potts who gets to channel her inner Girl on Fire in the climax of the movie.

(d) Critical and commercial success aside, the film also presents a masterstroke of inventive action sequences (i.e. the nail-biting midair rescue and the fantastic shipyard showdown) and “Holy shit!” plot twists that is the hallmark of any summer blockbuster worth their salt.

(e) And finally, “Iron Man 3” stars Tony fucking Stark, bitch! Because when it all comes down to it, you certainly can’t argue with a point like that.

P.S. I still love you, Loki! If you and your ridiculously handsome blond adoptive brother would get your shit together in a possible third film, then perhaps you two might stand a chance at cracking my Top Ten Films list instead of Tony Stark consistently hogging all the attention like the charismatic media whore he is! XOXO!

]]>https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/brent-360s-top-10-films-of-2013/feed/0besarza360brent 360's top 10 films of 2013topten01topten02topten03topten04topten05topten06topten07topten08topten09topten10Music Review : “Anesthesiac” by Wombhttps://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/music-review-anesthesiac-by-womb/
https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/music-review-anesthesiac-by-womb/#commentsSat, 18 May 2013 06:15:59 +0000http://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/?p=295]]>Have you ever stumbled upon an independent musical act so good that you kind of want them to remain a precious little secret, but at the same time, you also want them to be exposed to other people who have discerning taste in music like yourself? Well, this writer has had the pleasure of encountering such an extraordinary find in the form of Womb—a local trip-hop trinity that has finally given birth to their much-awaited full-length debut album, “Anesthesiac”.

Composed of Fender Figuera (synthesizers + electronics), Anthony Uy (guitars + keyboards), and Chai Fonacier (lyrics + vocals), the trio stands apart from the other bands populating Cebu City in that they are making their mark through the genre of trip-hop and chillout music rather than the typical alternative rock, ska, or reggae that is common in the Philippine music scene. Comparisons may be made to foreign downtempo acts such as Portishead, Massive Attack, Télépopmusik, Zero 7, or How To Destroy Angels, but the sound of Womb is distinctly their own while managing to exude an international flavor to their music.

What started out as a humble gathering of talented individuals united in their shared love for moody and sultry music evolved into something serious and worthwhile that the band has amassed a cult following in the Queen City of the South. Womb is certainly a breath of fresh (and unmistakably cool) air given that the trio have been around the local scene performing in bar gigs, special shows, and music festivals such as Fête De La Musique; fervently showcasing their preferred style of music to audiences unfamiliar with the downtempo sound.

With the release of “Anesthesiac”, Womb has proven that they are a force to be reckoned with. A low-key but well-attended album launch party at the swanky Gilt Artisan Lounge provided the perfect venue for the band to present the delicious fruit of their labors. Performing with live arrangements, Womb draws the listener in with a refined touch, and they wisely applied such an ability in a recorded format. In the ten songs that comprise this tight collection, the trio has created a sonic landscape fitting of the album’s title: tuning in to the record feels like you have been heavily sedated—but in a good way. It’s the kind of music you want to play during moments of introspection, as the album delivers a melancholic duality that dances between twinkling lights and slinky shadows. Ultimately, the strength of “Anesthesiac” lies in the fierce lyrical stylings of Chai as she adroitly weaves her nymph-like vocals with the brooding electronic soundscapes created by Fender and Anthony.

Womb has achieved that precious rarity in a debut effort that there are virtually no filler songs in “Anesthesiac”—from start to finish, you’d be hard-pressed to find a song that merits the push of the Skip button. The first single off the album, “Good”, is actually one of their classic tracks that they have created during the early years of their formation. Even in a polished studio version, the song still manages to enthrall with a demanding subtlety that is the hallmark of a decent trip-hop venture. “I Miss You” and “Skin” round up the band’s earlier works added to the album to give a sense of familiarity to Womb’s loyal fanbase who have enjoyed such songs in a live setup.

As for their new material, they are nothing short of luminous. On tracks like “Aftertaste” and “10-Second Forever”, Chai muses about the darker aspects of a complicated love underscored by glitching synth beats, forlorn electric guitars, and wistful keyboard notes. And on “Rear View”, Anthony and Fender flex their sonic muscles to incorporate minimalist dubstep elements to perfectly match the seductively robust vocals of Chai as she paints a striking image with poetic lyrics such as: “I don’t understand / How something so fiery and grand / Could fit in a box so small.”

Oozing with a beautiful and haunted quality that brings to mind the labyrinthine recesses of an emotionally complex individual, the welcome birth of “Anesthesiac” is a testament to the musical prowess of Womb, and offers an exciting glimpse of a possible younger sibling to follow in its wake.

“Anesthesiac” is physically released through Womb’s independent music label, 22 Tango Records, and will be digitally released through iTunes, Bandcamp, Google Play, and Amazon.

]]>https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2013/05/18/music-review-anesthesiac-by-womb/feed/1Womb - Anesthesiac {Album Cover]besarza360Womb LettersWomb Launch 03Womb Launch 04Womb MusiqueWomb Trio 02Womb Trio 01Music Review : “Girl Who Got Away” by Didohttps://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/music-review-girl-who-got-away-by-dido/
https://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/music-review-girl-who-got-away-by-dido/#respondSat, 04 May 2013 12:48:19 +0000http://brentofthefabulouswild.wordpress.com/?p=285]]>While it may be easy to dismiss Dido as that artist whose music is commonly viewed by some as “boring”, one cannot deny the presence she has made in the music scene. Since her seminal sampled appearance on Eminem’s breakthrough rap track, “Stan”, Dido has shot to the consciousness of the average mainstream listener and introduced her own brand of music in what I could best describe as “chill pop”—underscored by ambient soundscapes that tread the line between indie folk and trippy electronica caressed with her breathy vocals.

Three albums and fourteen years later, Dido has returned in full force with her latest studio effort aptly entitled, “Girl Who Got Away”.

Her previous outing—“Safe Trip Home”—back in 2008 was a somber journey for the British singer as the sonic palate and lyrics reflected a sense of melancholia that was partially contributed by the death of her father. Now, Dido’s return sees her largely using the same tried-and-tested formula but with some new twists to make her album sound familiar and new at the same time for her loyal fanbase and new listeners alike. With assistance and production input from her brother, Rollo Armstrong (from the electronica act, Faithless), she has crafted a selection of songs that is easy on the ears while also skirting on the edges of dance music.

On tracks like “No Freedom” and “Sitting On The Roof Of The World”, Dido has made modern cousins of her signature tune “Thank You” but without the same panache that allowed such a melody to be sampled in an iconic rap song. But it is on her more upbeat, electronica-infused offerings that Dido truly shines on her new album. From the sultry trip-hop environment on “End Of Night”, the neo-reggae vibe of “Love To Blame”, to the EDM-influenced atmosphere of “Go Dreaming”, Dido breathes new life into her repertoire that is a welcome respite after a four-year absence.

Her lyrical direction on “Girl Who Got Away” remains forward and true to her style, with stories about the moodier side of love this side of Adele but with the beats leaning towards Ellie Goulding. And her experience on collaborating with hip-hop artists is featured prominently on the album: with Kendrick Lamar on “Let Us Move On” and Pete Miser on “All I See”. Both tracks give her the same street cred that she had with Eminem, though not quite reaching the heights that “Stan” had achieved.

Overall, Dido’s fourth LP is a valiant effort that hands out a strong lineup of songs suited for two scenarios: one half of the album is where you see yourself curled up in bed relaxing with a good book, while the other half is a slick soundtrack as you are preparing to glam yourself at home before heading for a night out on the city. But after listening to the whole collection in full, it ultimately becomes clear to you that Dido is encouraging her listeners to follow the second half.

After all, the name of the album clearly speaks for itself. And should you feel the need to become the girl (or guy) who wants to get away, look no further than Dido’s newest album to help you on your journey.

“Girl Who Got Away” is now out on iTunes and in your nearest record store.